cli-args integration tests write fixture settings.json into the real global config dir when LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME is set

[acoliver]

Summary

packages/cli/src/integration-tests/cli-args.integration.test.ts writes a fixture settings.json into Storage.getGlobalConfigDir() as returned in the test process environment. When LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME is set and points at a real config directory (as it is in the driver sandboxes on this machine: LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME=/Users/acoliver/Library/Preferences/llxprt-code), the suite overwrites the real user-global settings.json instead of an isolated temp dir.

Evidence (2026-09-06, branch-5 sandbox)

• During a full npm run test run, the real $LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME/settings.json was replaced at 15:50:35 (mid CLI test phase) with exactly the fixture content:

  {"telemetry":{"logConversations":true}}

  This matches the literal write in the two tests should print help even with invalid settings.json (--help) and should show config error (not silently fail) with invalid settings.json and no args (packages/cli/src/integration-tests/cli-args.integration.test.ts around L609-L645), which do:

  const settingsDir = Storage.getGlobalConfigDir();
  await fs.mkdir(settingsDir, { recursive: true });
  await fs.writeFile(
    path.join(settingsDir, 'settings.json'),
    JSON.stringify({ telemetry: { logConversations: true } }),
  );

  Storage.getGlobalConfigDir() resolves through the LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME override, so passing HOME: tempDir to the spawned CLI does not isolate this write.

• Consequences observed: every subsequent CLI start in that environment fails validation (exit 52) until the file is manually reset; the two tests themselves also fail in that environment (reproduced identically on a clean main worktree).

• On ephemeral CI runners the write lands in the runner's throwaway home, so CI stays green and the bug is invisible there.

Suggested direction

The fixture write must target a directory that is provably isolated for the test process itself (override LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME per test to a temp dir, or write beneath the existing tempDir), not rely on the spawned process's HOME. A test should never write into the config dir the ambient environment resolves to.

[github-actions]

Summary

• Fix packages/cli/src/integration-tests/cli-args.integration.test.ts so the two settings-fixture tests write into a provably isolated temp config directory instead of Storage.getGlobalConfigDir().
• The bug only manifests when the ambient test environment sets LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME to a real user config directory; in that case the parent test process resolves the real dir and overwrites the user’s global settings.json.
• Scope is limited to one package (packages/cli) and one test file; no production code changes are required.
• Add regression assertions that the fixture path is under the test temp directory.

Sizing audit

• Acceptance criteria: 3
  • 1. Stop writing fixture settings.json into the ambient global config dir.
  • 2. Preserve existing behavioral assertions for --help and invalid-settings error output.
  • 3. Add a regression check that the fixture write is isolated under the test temp dir.
• Package span: exactly one package (packages/cli).
• Phase/epic signal: none.
• Expected net LoC: small; only two tests change, plus a couple of regression assertions.
• Classification: small.

Test plan

• Existing file to extend: packages/cli/src/integration-tests/cli-args.integration.test.ts
• New cases / modifications:
  • In should print help even with invalid settings.json (--help):
    • Replace const settingsDir = Storage.getGlobalConfigDir(); with an isolated path derived from the test’s existing configHome temp dir.
    • Add an assertion that the written settings.json path starts with tempDir / configHome.
  • In should show config error (not silently fail) with invalid settings.json and no args:
    • Same path-isolation change as above.
    • Add the same regression assertion on the written path.
  • Rationale: these two tests already run with process.env.LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME = configHome and runCli forwards that variable, so isolating the parent process write to configHome keeps both the test runner and spawned CLI using the same temp config root.

Implementation steps

1. Update the two affected tests to write the fixture beneath configHome instead of Storage.getGlobalConfigDir().
2. Add regression assertions that the fixture path is under the test temp directory.
3. Run npm run test in packages/cli and verify the two modified cases still pass and no ambient config dir is touched.

Verification

• npm run lint:ci
• npm run lint:eslint-guard
• npm run typecheck
• npm run test

Policy invariance: no new eslint-disable*, @ts-ignore, @ts-expect-error, @ts-nocheck, no severity downgrades, no ignore-block changes.

Related PRs/issues

• No related candidates were returned by planner/related-candidates.json.
• Directly related: cli-args integration tests write fixture settings.json into the real global config dir when LLXPRT_CONFIG_HOME is set #3581.

Prompt for AI agents

• Modify only packages/cli/src/integration-tests/cli-args.integration.test.ts.
• In the two settings-fixture tests, stop using Storage.getGlobalConfigDir() for fixture writes; use the temp configHome path already established in beforeEach.
• Keep the existing behavioral assertions unchanged.
• Add regression assertions that the fixture path is within the test temp directory.
• Do not change runCli or production code.