feat: add vale init command to scaffold configuration

cmd/vale/command.go

@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ type command struct {
 
 // commands are the available CLI commands.
 var commands = map[string]command{
+	"init": {
+		Run:     initCmd,
+		Summary: "Initialize a new .vale.ini configuration file.",
+		Usage:   "init [path]",
+		Detail: "Generates a default .vale.ini configuration file with baseline\n" +
+			"settings and creates the styles directory if no configuration exists.",
+	},
 	"ls-config": {
 		Run:     printConfig,
 		Summary: "Print the current configuration to stdout.",

cmd/vale/init_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/errata-ai/ini"
+	"github.com/vale-cli/vale/v3/internal/core"
+	"github.com/vale-cli/vale/v3/internal/system"
+)
+
+func TestInitCmd_CreatesValidConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+
+	if system.FileExists(cfgPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected config to not exist initially: %s", cfgPath)
+	}
+
+	err := initCmd([]string{cfgPath}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initCmd failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !system.FileExists(cfgPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected config file to be created: %s", cfgPath)
+	}
+
+	stylesDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "styles")
+	if !system.IsDir(stylesDir) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected styles directory to be created: %s", stylesDir)
+	}
+
+	// Validate INI syntax and keys
+	uCfg, err := ini.Load(cfgPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to parse generated config with ini: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	coreSec := uCfg.Section("")
+	if coreSec.Key("StylesPath").String() != "styles" {
+		t.Errorf("expected StylesPath = styles, got %s", coreSec.Key("StylesPath").String())
+	}
+	if coreSec.Key("MinAlertLevel").String() != "suggestion" {
+		t.Errorf("expected MinAlertLevel = suggestion, got %s", coreSec.Key("MinAlertLevel").String())
+	}
+	if coreSec.Key("Packages").String() != "Google" {
+		t.Errorf("expected Packages = Google, got %s", coreSec.Key("Packages").String())
+	}
+
+	formatSec := uCfg.Section("*.{md,txt}")
+	if formatSec.Key("BasedOnStyles").String() != "Vale, Google" {
+		t.Errorf("expected BasedOnStyles = Vale, Google, got %s", formatSec.Key("BasedOnStyles").String())
+	}
+
+	// Validate with Vale pipeline loader
+	cfg, err := core.ReadPipeline(&core.CLIFlags{Path: cfgPath, IgnoreGlobal: true}, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read generated config through ReadPipeline: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if cfg.MinAlertLevel != core.LevelToInt["suggestion"] {
+		t.Errorf("expected MinAlertLevel %d, got %d", core.LevelToInt["suggestion"], cfg.MinAlertLevel)
+	}
+
+	pkgs, err := core.GetPackages(cfgPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get packages from generated config: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(pkgs) != 1 || pkgs[0] != "Google" {
+		t.Errorf("expected packages [Google], got %v", pkgs)
+	}
+
+	baseStyles := cfg.SBaseStyles["*.{md,txt}"]
+	if len(baseStyles) != 2 || baseStyles[0] != "Vale" || baseStyles[1] != "Google" {
+		t.Errorf("expected base styles [Vale Google], got %v", baseStyles)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_ExistingConfigFails(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(cfgPath, []byte("StylesPath = styles\n"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create existing config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = initCmd([]string{cfgPath}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected initCmd to fail when config already exists, got nil")
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "already exists") {
+		t.Errorf("expected error message mentioning 'already exists', got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_AlternativeConfigInDirFails(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	altPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "vale.ini")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(altPath, []byte("StylesPath = styles\n"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create existing alt config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+	err = initCmd([]string{targetPath}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected initCmd to fail when alternative config exists in directory, got nil")
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "already exists") {
+		t.Errorf("expected error message mentioning 'already exists', got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_DefaultTargetInCwd(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	origWd, err := os.Getwd()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get current working directory: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = os.Chdir(origWd)
+	}()
+
+	if err := os.Chdir(tmpDir); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to change directory to temp dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = initCmd(nil, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initCmd without args failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	expectedFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+	if !system.FileExists(expectedFile) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected .vale.ini in cwd, file not found: %s", expectedFile)
+	}
+
+	expectedStyles := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "styles")
+	if !system.IsDir(expectedStyles) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected styles dir in cwd, dir not found: %s", expectedStyles)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_WithTargetDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	subDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "subproject")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(subDir, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create subproject dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err := initCmd([]string{subDir}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initCmd with directory argument failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	expectedFile := filepath.Join(subDir, ".vale.ini")
+	if !system.FileExists(expectedFile) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected .vale.ini inside subproject, file not found: %s", expectedFile)
+	}
+
+	expectedStyles := filepath.Join(subDir, "styles")
+	if !system.IsDir(expectedStyles) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected styles inside subproject, dir not found: %s", expectedStyles)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_WithConfigFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".custom.ini")
+
+	err := initCmd(nil, &core.CLIFlags{Path: cfgPath})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initCmd with --config flag failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !system.FileExists(cfgPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected custom config file to exist: %s", cfgPath)
+	}
+
+	expectedStyles := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "styles")
+	if !system.IsDir(expectedStyles) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected styles dir in config dir, dir not found: %s", expectedStyles)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_StylesDirAlreadyExists(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+	stylesDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "styles")
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(stylesDir, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to pre-create styles dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err := initCmd([]string{cfgPath}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initCmd failed when styles dir already exists: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !system.FileExists(cfgPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected config file to be created: %s", cfgPath)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_StylesPathIsFileFails(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	cfgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".vale.ini")
+	stylesConflict := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "styles")
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(stylesConflict, []byte("conflict"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create conflicting styles file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err := initCmd([]string{cfgPath}, &core.CLIFlags{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected initCmd to fail when styles exists as regular file, got nil")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInitCmd_ValidatesFixture(t *testing.T) {
+	fixturePath := filepath.Join("..", "..", "testdata", "fixtures", "init", ".vale.ini")
+	if !system.FileExists(fixturePath) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected fixture to exist: %s", fixturePath)
+	}
+
+	content, err := os.ReadFile(fixturePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read fixture: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if string(content) != core.DefaultConfigTemplate {
+		t.Errorf("expected fixture content to match DefaultConfigTemplate")
+	}
+
+	cfg, err := core.ReadPipeline(&core.CLIFlags{Path: fixturePath, IgnoreGlobal: true}, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read fixture pipeline: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if cfg.MinAlertLevel != core.LevelToInt["suggestion"] {
+		t.Errorf("expected MinAlertLevel %d, got %d", core.LevelToInt["suggestion"], cfg.MinAlertLevel)
+	}
+}

cmd/vale/main.go

@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 
+	"github.com/pterm/pterm"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
 	"github.com/vale-cli/vale/v3/internal/core"
@@ -82,6 +84,26 @@ func handleError(err error) {
 	os.Exit(2)
 }
 
+func initCmd(args []string, flags *core.CLIFlags) error {
+	target := ".vale.ini"
+	if len(args) > 0 {
+		target = args[0]
+	} else if flags.Path != "" {
+		target = flags.Path
+	}
+
+	if system.IsDir(target) {
+		target = filepath.Join(target, ".vale.ini")
+	}
+
+	if err := core.InitConfig(target); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	pterm.Success.Println(fmt.Sprintf("Initialized configuration in '%s'.", target))
+	return nil
+}
+
 func main() {
 	// Every exit path below calls this explicitly: os.Exit skips deferred
 	// functions, so a defer here would silently drop the profile.

internal/core/config.go

@@ -467,3 +467,61 @@ func (c *Config) SphinxNames(key string) []string {
 	}
 	return out
 }
+
+// DefaultConfigTemplate is the default configuration template written by `vale init`.
+const DefaultConfigTemplate = `# Core settings
+# StylesPath defines where Vale looks for styles and downloaded packages.
+StylesPath = styles
+
+# MinAlertLevel sets the minimum alert severity to display: suggestion, warning, or error.
+MinAlertLevel = suggestion
+
+# External packages installed via 'vale sync'.
+Packages = Google
+
+# Format-specific configuration
+# Applies the Vale and Google styles to Markdown and text files.
+[*.{md,txt}]
+BasedOnStyles = Vale, Google
+`
+
+// InitConfig creates a default .vale.ini configuration file at target and
+// scaffolds the styles directory.
+// Returns an error if a configuration file already exists at target or
+// within target's directory.
+func InitConfig(target string) error {
+	if target == "" {
+		target = ".vale.ini"
+	} else if system.IsDir(target) {
+		target = filepath.Join(target, ".vale.ini")
+	}
+
+	if system.FileExists(target) {
+		return NewE100("init", fmt.Errorf("configuration file '%s' already exists", target))
+	}
+
+	dir := filepath.Dir(target)
+	for _, name := range configNames {
+		candidate := filepath.Join(dir, name)
+		if system.FileExists(candidate) {
+			return NewE100("init", fmt.Errorf("configuration file '%s' already exists", candidate))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if dir != "" && dir != "." && !system.IsDir(dir) {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+			return NewE100("init", fmt.Errorf("failed to create directory '%s': %w", dir, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(target, []byte(DefaultConfigTemplate), 0o644); err != nil {
+		return NewE100("init", fmt.Errorf("failed to write configuration file '%s': %w", target, err))
+	}
+
+	stylesDir := filepath.Join(dir, "styles")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(stylesDir, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return NewE100("init", fmt.Errorf("failed to create styles directory '%s': %w", stylesDir, err))
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}