Respect JSON output for errors

[seanhamlin]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

At present, if the CLI returns an error response, it is always in the form of a string, even if you have --output-json supplied

Describe the solution you'd like

When you request JSON output, output everything as JSON. Including errors.

Describe alternatives you've considered

String matching on the output, and if it looks like JSON attempt to decode it. Not ideal

Additional context

Example command showing the issue

$ lagoon list deployments --project='does-not-exist' --environment='banana' --output-json 
Error: Unauthorized: You don't have permission to "view" on "project": check if the project or environment exists

[shreddedbacon]

If the errors went to stderr instead, this would solve the issue? I thought they already did this, but maybe not

[shreddedbacon]

Just trying to understand what the benefits of having the error in JSON format would be?

The exit code will still be 1, and the response would hopefully go to stderr. So you wouldn't be able to parse it unless you're also capturing the stderr in whatever you're using to handle the error capture.

If we sent the output of these errors when the --output-json flag is defined, then would we change it to still be exit 1, but with the resposne to stdout instead?

[seanhamlin]

The main benefit is that it can make scripting easier. I can also match on the exit code too (did not realise this was a thing).

[shreddedbacon]

The main benefit is that it can make scripting easier. I can also match on the exit code too (did not realise this was a thing).

It has been since forever for most commands, there may been one or two that don't conform to this for some reason or another due to the response from the API, but most should exit 1

$ lagoon list deployments --project='does-not-exist' --environment='banana' --output-json
Error: Unauthorized: You don't have permission to "view" on "project": check if the project or environment exists
$ echo $?
1

Since the error goes to stderr, piping to jq won't complain, but it will also just exit 0

$ lagoon list deployments --project='does-not-exist' --environment='banana' --output-json | jq -r '.data'
Error: Unauthorized: You don't have permission to "view" on "project": check if the project or environment exists

If we change the error to JSON format do we send all output of --output-json to stdout, including errors?