def parse_args(self, args=None):
        """Parse the given arguments

        All commands should support executing a function,
        so you can use the arg Namespace like this::

          launcher = Launcher()
          args, unknown = launcher.parse_args()
          args.func(args, unknown) # execute the command

        :param args: arguments to pass
        :type args:
        :returns: the parsed arguments and all unknown arguments
        :rtype: (Namespace, list)
        :raises: None
        """
        if args is None:
            args = sys.argv[1:]
        return self.parser.parse_known_args(args)