# Configuration and CLI Change Recipes

This document owns contributor editing and validation steps for configuration,
CLI wiring, and maintained examples. Definitions of behavior belong to the
[configuration](../config.md) and [CLI](../cli.md) contracts.

## Changing Configuration

1. Update fields, defaults, loading, and validation in `internal/core/config`.
2. Update file, environment, and CLI mapping as applicable, including CLI flag
   extraction. Preserve the source-specific behavior defined in the
   [configuration contract](../config.md#effective-precedence), including the
   distinct validation and effective-config commands.
3. Update redaction when secrets are involved.
4. Review configuration tests and related CLI tests for precedence, validation,
   and source-specific behavior. Add or adjust tests for the changed contract
   according to the [testing policy](../policy/testing.md).
5. Update the configuration reference and affected [examples](../../examples/).

## Changing CLI Behavior

1. Implement parsing and wiring in `internal/cli`.
2. Preserve [stream and exit contracts](../cli.md) unless a change is intentional
   and documented. Review [subprocess integration](../integrations/subprocess.md)
   when changing output, error, or report handling.
3. Review `internal/cli` tests and `cmd/audita` subprocess tests; update coverage
   for the changed behavior.
4. Update the CLI reference and affected integration guidance.

## Validating Examples

Keep complete copyable files in [examples](../../examples/) and link to them from
their canonical contract documentation. Keep them valid and secret-free.
From the repository root, validate the maintained configuration examples:

```sh
go run ./cmd/audita config validate --config examples/minimal-config.yml
go run ./cmd/audita config validate --config examples/production-config.yml
go run ./cmd/audita config print-effective --config examples/minimal-config.yml
```

The effective-config command incorporates environment settings; use a controlled
environment when comparing its results. Check affected CLI examples against the
parser and use schema tests for maintained transcript/glossary inputs. Example
validation should not invoke a live LLM merely to check documentation.

## Runtime Change Checks

Select checks according to the [testing policy](../policy/testing.md):

- Configuration or CLI changes: inspect `internal/core/config` tests,
  `internal/cli` tests, and `cmd/audita` integration tests.
- Process/output changes: verify stdout, stderr, exit, output-file, and report
  behavior against the [CLI contract](../cli.md) and
  [subprocess guidance](../integrations/subprocess.md), including failures.
- Report or diagnostics changes: review [report assembly tests and redaction
  checks](diagnostics-reporting.md#key-tests), metadata fields, and artifact paths.
- Schema or serialization changes: review [output-schema tests](output-schemas.md#key-tests)
  and `internal/core/schema` tests, including supported formats and rejection of
  unsupported schemas.
- Changes affecting assembled output: inspect CLI parity and release fixtures.

Use the [contributor guide](../development.md#baseline-validation) for baseline
commands. These recipes supplement, rather than duplicate, public contracts.