tyhal · tyhal · Oct 24, 2025 · Oct 24, 2025 · Oct 24, 2025 · Oct 24, 2025
diff --git a/doc/cli/crie_chk.md b/doc/cli/crie_chk.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ crie chk [flags]
 
 ```
   -e, --continue            show all errors rather than stopping at the first
-  -g, --git-diff            only use files from the current commit to (git-target)
-  -t, --git-target string   the branch to compare against to find changed files (default "origin/main")
+  -g, --git-diff            only check files changed in git
+  -t, --git-target string   a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'
   -h, --help                help for chk
       --only crie ls        run with only one language (see crie ls for available options)
   -p, --passes              show files that passed

diff --git a/doc/cli/crie_conf.md b/doc/cli/crie_conf.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ crie conf [flags]
 
 ```
   -e, --continue            show all errors rather than stopping at the first
-  -g, --git-diff            only use files from the current commit to (git-target)
-  -t, --git-target string   the branch to compare against to find changed files (default "origin/main")
+  -g, --git-diff            only check files changed in git
+  -t, --git-target string   a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'
   -h, --help                help for conf
       --only crie ls        run with only one language (see crie ls for available options)
   -p, --passes              show files that passed

diff --git a/doc/cli/crie_fmt.md b/doc/cli/crie_fmt.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ crie fmt [flags]
 
 ```
   -e, --continue            show all errors rather than stopping at the first
-  -g, --git-diff            only use files from the current commit to (git-target)
-  -t, --git-target string   the branch to compare against to find changed files (default "origin/main")
+  -g, --git-diff            only check files changed in git
+  -t, --git-target string   a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'
   -h, --help                help for fmt
       --only crie ls        run with only one language (see crie ls for available options)
   -p, --passes              show files that passed

diff --git a/doc/cli/crie_init.md b/doc/cli/crie_init.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ crie init [flags]
 
 ```
   -e, --continue            show all errors rather than stopping at the first
-  -g, --git-diff            only use files from the current commit to (git-target)
-  -t, --git-target string   the branch to compare against to find changed files (default "origin/main")
+  -g, --git-diff            only check files changed in git
+  -t, --git-target string   a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'
   -h, --help                help for init
       --only crie ls        run with only one language (see crie ls for available options)
   -p, --passes              show files that passed

diff --git a/doc/cli/crie_lnt.md b/doc/cli/crie_lnt.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ crie lnt [flags]
 
 ```
   -e, --continue            show all errors rather than stopping at the first
-  -g, --git-diff            only use files from the current commit to (git-target)
-  -t, --git-target string   the branch to compare against to find changed files (default "origin/main")
+  -g, --git-diff            only check files changed in git
+  -t, --git-target string   a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'
   -h, --help                help for lnt
       --only crie ls        run with only one language (see crie ls for available options)
   -p, --passes              show files that passed

diff --git a/internal/cli/commands.go b/internal/cli/commands.go
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-	language2 "github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/language"
-	project2 "github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/project"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/language"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/project"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/errchain"
 	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/runner"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 var crieRun runner.RunConfiguration
 
 // SetCrie pushes the Languages to the crie.RunConfiguration
-func SetCrie(proj *project2.Config, langs *language2.Languages) {
+func SetCrie(proj *project.Config, langs *language.Languages) {
 
 	languages := make(map[string]*runner.Language, len(langs.Languages))
 	for langName, lang := range langs.Languages {
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ var FmtCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		err := crieRun.Run(runner.LintTypeFmt)
 
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("crie format failed: %w", err))
+			log.Fatal(errchain.From(err).Error("crie format"))
 		}
 	},
 }
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ var LsCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		err := crieRun.Languages.Show(os.Stdout)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("crie list failed: %w", err))
+			log.Fatal(errchain.From(err).Error("crie list failed"))
 		}
 	},
 }
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ var ChkCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		err := crieRun.Run(runner.LintTypeChk)
 
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("crie check failed: %w", err))
+			log.Fatal(errchain.From(err).Error("crie check"))
 		}
 	},
 }
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ Find the file extensions that dont have an associated regex match within crieRun
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		err := crieRun.NoStandards()
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("finding unassociated files failed: %w", err))
+			log.Fatal(errchain.From(err).Error("finding unassociated files"))
 		}
 	},
 }
@@ -102,15 +103,15 @@ var InitCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 
-		err := language2.NewLanguageConfigFile(viper.GetString("Language.Conf"))
+		err := language.NewLanguageConfigFile(viper.GetString("Language.Conf"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		fmt.Printf("new language file created: %s\nused to overide crie internal language settings (optional / can be deleted)\n", viper.GetString("Language.Conf"))
 
 		fmt.Println()
 
-		var projectConfig project2.Config
+		var projectConfig project.Config
 		err = viper.Unmarshal(&projectConfig)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ var ConfCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short:   "Print configuration settings",
 	Long:    "Print what crie has parsed from flags, env, the project file, and then defaults",
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-		var projectConfig project2.Config
+		var projectConfig project.Config
 		err := viper.Unmarshal(&projectConfig)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ var SchemaLangCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short:   "Print the schema for language's configurations",
 	Long:    `Print json schema for cries configuration format used override language project`,
 	Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
-		schema := language2.Schema()
+		schema := language.Schema()
 		jsonBytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(schema, "", "  ")
 		if err != nil {
 			return
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ var SchemaProjectCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short:   "Print the schema for language's configurations",
 	Long:    `Print json schema for cries configuration format used override language project`,
 	Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
-		schema := project2.Schema()
+		schema := project.Schema()
 		jsonBytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(schema, "", "  ")
 		if err != nil {
 			return
@@ -190,13 +191,7 @@ func stage(lintType runner.LintType) error {
 	log.Infof("❨ %s ❩", lintType.String())
 	err := crieRun.Run(lintType)
 	if err != nil {
-		if crieRun.Options.Continue {
-			// Log the error but allow subsequent stages to run.
-			log.Error(err)
-			return fmt.Errorf("crie %s failed: %w", lintType, err)
-		}
-		// In non-continue mode, fail immediately.
-		log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("crie %s failed: %w", lintType, err))
+		return errchain.From(err).ErrorF("crie %s", lintType)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -213,7 +208,11 @@ var LntCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 		for _, lintType := range stages {
 			if err := stage(lintType); err != nil {
-				failedStages = append(failedStages, lintType.String())
+				if crieRun.Options.Continue {
+					failedStages = append(failedStages, lintType.String())
+				} else {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 

diff --git a/internal/cli/root.go b/internal/cli/root.go
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/language"
-	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/project"
-
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/language"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/config/project"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/errchain"
 )
 
 //`
@@ -59,6 +58,11 @@ format all python files
 
 		setLogging()
 
+		// enable git diff if target is set
+		if projectConfig.Lint.GitTarget != "" {
+			projectConfig.Lint.GitDiff = true
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	},
 }
@@ -118,9 +122,9 @@ func addLintCommand(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&projectConfig.Lint.Passes, "passes", "p", false, "show files that passed")
 	errFatal(viper.BindPFlag("Lint.Passes", cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("passes")))
 
-	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&projectConfig.Lint.GitDiff, "git-diff", "g", false, "only use files from the current commit to (git-target)")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&projectConfig.Lint.GitDiff, "git-diff", "g", false, "only check files changed in git")
 	errFatal(viper.BindPFlag("Lint.GitDiff", cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("git-diff")))
-	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&projectConfig.Lint.GitTarget, "git-target", "t", "origin/main", "the branch to compare against to find changed files")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&projectConfig.Lint.GitTarget, "git-target", "t", "", "a target branch to compare against e.g 'remote/branch' or 'branch'")
 	errFatal(viper.BindPFlag("Lint.GitTarget", cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("git-target")))
 
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&projectConfig.Lint.Only, "only", "", "run with only one language (see `crie ls` for available options)")
@@ -139,7 +143,7 @@ func addCrieCommand(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 
 func errFatal(err error) {
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("incorrect viper configuration: %w", err))
+		log.Fatal(errchain.From(err).Error("incorrect viper configuration"))
 	}
 }
 

diff --git a/internal/config/language/config.go b/internal/config/language/config.go
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ package language
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/errchain"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ func LoadFile(path string) (*Languages, error) {
 
 	configData, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read config file %s: %w", path, err)
+		return nil, errchain.From(err).ErrorF("readding config file %s", path)
 	}
 
 	var c Languages
-	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(configData, &c); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse config file %s: %w", path, err)
+	if err = yaml.Unmarshal(configData, &c); err != nil {
+		return nil, errchain.From(err).ErrorF("parsing config file %s", path)
 	}
 
 	merge(&defaultLanguageConfig, &c)

diff --git a/internal/errchain/err.go b/internal/errchain/err.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Package errchain keeps consistency of displaying error messages with more context.
+package errchain
+
+import "fmt"
+
+// ErrorChain wraps an error and provides helpers to add contextual messages
+// while preserving the original error using Go's error wrapping.
+type ErrorChain struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+// From creates a new ErrorChain rooted at the provided error so that
+// additional context can be added in a consistent manner.
+func From(err error) ErrorChain {
+	return ErrorChain{err: err}
+}
+
+// ErrorF formats a contextual message with the given format and arguments,
+// and returns the original error wrapped with that context.
+func (ec ErrorChain) ErrorF(format string, a ...any) error {
+	msg := fmt.Sprintf(format, a...)
+	return fmt.Errorf("%s ⟶ %w", msg, ec.err)
+}
+
+// Error adds a contextual message and returns the original error wrapped
+// with that context.
+func (ec ErrorChain) Error(msg string) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("%s ⟶ %w", msg, ec.err)
+}
diff --git a/internal/errchain/err_test.go b/internal/errchain/err_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package errchain
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestError_WrapsAndAddsContext(t *testing.T) {
+	base := errors.New("base failure")
+
+	err := From(base).Error("doing important work")
+
+	// It should wrap the base error
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, base)
+
+	// The message should contain our context and the base message
+	s := err.Error()
+	assert.Contains(t, s, "doing important work")
+	assert.Contains(t, s, base.Error())
+}
+
+func TestErrorF_WrapsAndFormats(t *testing.T) {
+	base := errors.New("not found")
+
+	err := From(base).ErrorF("fetching id %d", 42)
+
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, base)
+
+	s := err.Error()
+	assert.Contains(t, s, "fetching id 42")
+	assert.Contains(t, s, base.Error())
+}
+
+func TestChaining_PreservesOriginalAndAllContexts(t *testing.T) {
+	base := errors.New("disk full")
+
+	// First wrap
+	err1 := From(base).Error("writing cache")
+	// Second wrap by starting a new chain from the previous error
+	err2 := From(err1).ErrorF("attempt %d", 3)
+
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err2, base)
+
+	s := err2.Error()
+	assert.Contains(t, s, "writing cache")
+	assert.Contains(t, s, "attempt 3")
+}
diff --git a/internal/runner/execution.go b/internal/runner/execution.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package runner
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/olekukonko/tablewriter"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"github.com/tyhal/crie/internal/errchain"
 	"github.com/tyhal/crie/pkg/linter"
 )
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (s *RunConfiguration) runLinters(lintType LintType, list []string) error {
 func (s *RunConfiguration) Run(lintType LintType) error {
 	fileList, err := s.getFileList()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get filelist: %w", err)
+		return errchain.From(err).Error("getting filelist")
 	}
 	err = s.runLinters(lintType, fileList)
 	if err != nil {