I used GnuParser() instead of DefaultParser() and it works well.

CommandLineParser parser = new GnuParser();

Update : In version 1.3.1 of CLI, GnuParser() is now deprecated. So I simply added

import org.apache.commons.cli.DefaultParser;

and now I use CommandLineParser parser = new DefaultParser();

And all is fine!

According to the examples name of the parameter should be present in command line

Property without value

Usage: ls [OPTION]... [FILE]...
-a, --all                  do not hide entries starting with .

And the respective code is:

// create the command line parser
CommandLineParser parser = new DefaultParser();

// create the Options
Options options = new Options();
options.addOption( "a", "all", false, "do not hide entries starting with ." );

In this scenario correct call is:

ls -a or ls --all

With value separated by space

-logfile <file>        use given file for log

Respective code is:

Option logfile   = OptionBuilder.withArgName( "file" )
                                .hasArg()
                                .withDescription(  "use given file for log" )
                                .create( "logfile" );

And call would be:

app -logfile name.of.file.txt

With value separated by equals

-D<property>=<value>   use value for given property

The code is:

Option property  = OptionBuilder.withArgName( "property=value" )
                                .hasArgs(2)
                                .withValueSeparator()
                                .withDescription( "use value for given property" )
                                .create( "D" );

And call would be:

app -Dmyprop=myvalue

You can use OptionBuilder like:

Option iplist = OptionBuilder
                .withArgs() // option has unlimited argument
                .withDescription("Provide name of server where program can listen IP,PORT")
                .withLongOption("iplist") // means start with -- 
                .create()

Also look at:

https://commons.apache.org/proper/commons-cli/usage.html

http://apache-commons.680414.n4.nabble.com/cli-Example-using-of-option-with-two-mandatory-arguments-td3321524.html