nf-core · mashehu · Nov 12, 2025 · Nov 11, 2025 · Nov 11, 2025 · Nov 12, 2025
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 - TEMPLATE: ignore nf-core components during prettier linting ([#3858](https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/3858))
 - update json schema store URL ([#3877](https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/3877))
+- add word boundary for input, output and topic linting ([#3894](https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/3894))
 
 ### Modules
 

diff --git a/nf_core/components/nfcore_component.py b/nf_core/components/nfcore_component.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ def get_inputs_from_main_nf(self) -> None:
             for line in input_data.split("\n"):
                 channel_elements: Any = []
                 line = line.split("//")[0]  # remove any trailing comments
-                regex = r"\b(val|path)\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
+                regex = r"\b(val|path)\b\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
                 matches = re.finditer(regex, line)
                 for _, match in enumerate(matches, start=1):
                     input_val = None
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ def get_inputs_from_main_nf(self) -> None:
                 elif len(channel_elements) > 1:
                     inputs.append(channel_elements)
             log.debug(f"Found {len(inputs)} inputs in {self.main_nf}")
+            log.debug(f"Inputs: {inputs}")
             self.inputs = inputs
         elif self.component_type == "subworkflows":
             # get input values from main.nf after "take:"
@@ -252,8 +253,9 @@ def get_outputs_from_main_nf(self):
                 log.debug(f"Could not find any outputs in {self.main_nf}")
                 return outputs
             output_data = data.split("output:")[1].split("when:")[0]
+            log.debug(f"Found output_data: {output_data}")
             regex_emit = r"emit:\s*([^)\s,]+)"
-            regex_elements = r"\b(val|path|env|stdout|eval)\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
+            regex_elements = r"\b(val|path|env|stdout|eval)\b\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
             for line in output_data.split("\n"):
                 match_emit = re.search(regex_emit, line)
                 matches_elements = re.finditer(regex_elements, line)
@@ -278,6 +280,7 @@ def get_outputs_from_main_nf(self):
                 elif len(channel_elements) > 1:
                     outputs[match_emit.group(1)].append(channel_elements)
             log.debug(f"Found {len(list(outputs.keys()))} outputs in {self.main_nf}")
+            log.debug(f"Outputs: {outputs}")
             self.outputs = outputs
         elif self.component_type == "subworkflows":
             outputs = []
@@ -306,8 +309,9 @@ def get_topics_from_main_nf(self) -> None:
                 self.topics = topics
                 return
             output_data = data.split("output:")[1].split("when:")[0]
+            log.debug(f"Output data: {output_data}")
             regex_topic = r"topic:\s*([^)\s,]+)"
-            regex_elements = r"\b(val|path|env|stdout|eval)\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
+            regex_elements = r"\b(val|path|env|stdout|eval)\b\s*(\(([^)]+)\)|\s*([^)\s,]+))"
             for line in output_data.split("\n"):
                 match_topic = re.search(regex_topic, line)
                 matches_elements = re.finditer(regex_elements, line)
@@ -331,4 +335,5 @@ def get_topics_from_main_nf(self) -> None:
                 elif len(channel_elements) > 1:
                     topics[match_topic.group(1)].append(channel_elements)
             log.debug(f"Found {len(list(topics.keys()))} topics in {self.main_nf}")
+            log.debug(f"Topics: {topics}")
             self.topics = topics
diff --git a/tests/modules/lint/test_main_nf.py b/tests/modules/lint/test_main_nf.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 import nf_core.modules.lint
-import nf_core.modules.patch
+from nf_core.components.nfcore_component import NFCoreComponent
 from nf_core.modules.lint.main_nf import check_container_link_line, check_process_labels
 
 from ...test_modules import TestModules
@@ -154,3 +154,121 @@ def test_topics_and_emits_version_check(self):
             f"Linting warned with {[x.__dict__ for x in module_lint.warned]}, expected 1 warning"
         )
         assert len(module_lint.passed) > 0
+
+
+def test_get_inputs_no_partial_keyword_match(tmp_path):
+    """Test that input parsing doesn't match keywords within larger words like 'evaluate' or 'pathogen'"""
+    main_nf_content = """
+process TEST_PROCESS {
+    input:
+    val(meta)
+    path(reads)
+    tuple val(evaluate), path(pathogen)
+
+    output:
+    path("*.txt"), emit: results
+
+    script:
+    "echo test"
+}
+"""
+    main_nf_path = tmp_path / "main.nf"
+    main_nf_path.write_text(main_nf_content)
+
+    component = NFCoreComponent(
+        component_name="test",
+        repo_url=None,
+        component_dir=tmp_path,
+        repo_type="modules",
+        base_dir=tmp_path,
+        component_type="modules",
+        remote_component=False,
+    )
+
+    component.get_inputs_from_main_nf()
+
+    # Should find 3 inputs: meta, reads, and the tuple (evaluate, pathogen)
+    # The regex with \b should correctly identify 'val(evaluate)' and 'path(pathogen)' as valid inputs
+    assert len(component.inputs) == 3, f"Expected 3 inputs, got {len(component.inputs)}: {component.inputs}"
+    print(component.inputs)
+    assert {"meta": {}} in component.inputs
+    assert {"reads": {}} in component.inputs
+    # The tuple should be captured as a list of two elements
+    tuple_input = [{"evaluate": {}}, {"pathogen": {}}]
+    assert tuple_input in component.inputs
+
+
+def test_get_outputs_no_partial_keyword_match(tmp_path):
+    """Test that output parsing doesn't match keywords within larger words like 'evaluate' or 'pathogen'"""
+    main_nf_content = """
+process TEST_PROCESS {
+    input:
+    val(meta)
+
+    output:
+    path("*.txt"), emit: results
+    val(evaluate_result), emit: evaluation
+    path(pathogen_data), emit: pathogens
+
+    script:
+    "echo test"
+}
+"""
+    main_nf_path = tmp_path / "main.nf"
+    main_nf_path.write_text(main_nf_content)
+
+    component = NFCoreComponent(
+        component_name="test",
+        repo_url=None,
+        component_dir=tmp_path,
+        repo_type="modules",
+        base_dir=tmp_path,
+        component_type="modules",
+        remote_component=False,
+    )
+
+    component.get_outputs_from_main_nf()
+
+    # Should find 3 outputs with variable names containing 'val' and 'path' substrings
+    # The regex with \b should correctly identify val(evaluate_result) and path(pathogen_data)
+    assert len(component.outputs) == 3, f"Expected 3 outputs, got {len(component.outputs)}: {component.outputs}"
+    assert "results" in component.outputs
+    assert "evaluation" in component.outputs
+    assert "pathogens" in component.outputs
+
+
+def test_get_topics_no_partial_keyword_match(tmp_path):
+    """Test that topic parsing doesn't match keywords within larger words like 'evaluate'"""
+    main_nf_content = """
+process TEST_PROCESS {
+    input:
+    val(meta)
+
+    output:
+    path("*.txt"), topic: results
+    val(evaluate_result), topic: evaluation
+
+    script:
+    "echo test"
+}
+"""
+    main_nf_path = tmp_path / "main.nf"
+    main_nf_path.write_text(main_nf_content)
+
+    component = NFCoreComponent(
+        component_name="test",
+        repo_url=None,
+        component_dir=tmp_path,
+        repo_type="modules",
+        base_dir=tmp_path,
+        component_type="modules",
+        remote_component=False,
+    )
+
+    component.get_topics_from_main_nf()
+
+    # Should find 2 topics with variable names containing 'val' substring
+    # The regex with \b should correctly identify val(evaluate_result)
+    assert len(component.topics) == 2, f"Expected 2 topics, got {len(component.topics)}: {component.topics}"
+    assert "results" in component.topics
+    assert "evaluation" in component.topics