feat: implement barzel init --force to overwrite existing .barzel.toml

README.md

@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ Language matrix: Rust, TypeScript, Python, Go. `semgrep` runs on all languages.
 ## Human CLI
 
 ```bash
-barzel init .                          # write .barzel.toml with defaults
+barzel init .                          # write .barzel.toml with defaults (skips if already exists)
+barzel init . --force                  # overwrite existing .barzel.toml
 barzel check                           # show tool availability and required installs
 barzel run                             # run all layers, human output
 barzel run --layer logic,hostile       # run specific layers
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ Send a single JSON object to stdin; barzel writes newline-delimited JSON to stdo
 
 ```bash
 echo '{"command":"init","project_path":"."}' | barzel --stdio
+echo '{"command":"init","project_path":".","force":true}' | barzel --stdio
 echo '{"command":"check","project_path":"."}' | barzel --stdio
 echo '{"command":"run"}' | barzel --stdio
 echo '{"command":"run","layers":["logic"],"fail_fast":true}' | barzel --stdio
@@ -83,6 +85,17 @@ echo '{"command":"history","limit":10,"package_path":"crates/api"}' | barzel --s
 | `limit` | int | 20 | max history entries (cap 200, 0 returns empty) |
 | `package_path` | string | — | filter history by workspace member path |
 | `language` | string | — | filter history by language |
+| `force` | bool | false | overwrite existing `.barzel.toml` (for `init` command) |
+
+### Init response `data` fields
+
+The `init` success response always includes `config_status`, which agents must check to know whether the config was actually written:
+
+| `config_status` | `message` | Meaning |
+|-----------------|-----------|---------|
+| `"created"` | `"project initialized"` | `.barzel.toml` was written for the first time |
+| `"skipped"` | `"config already exists"` | `.barzel.toml` already existed; no changes made |
+| `"overwritten"` | `"config overwritten"` | `.barzel.toml` was replaced because `force: true` |
 
 ### Response envelope
 

src/cli.rs

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ pub enum Commands {
     Init {
         /// Target directory (defaults to current directory)
         path: Option<PathBuf>,
+
+        /// Overwrite an existing .barzel.toml
+        #[arg(long)]
+        force: bool,
     },
 
     /// Run the full verification suite (or specific layers)

src/init.rs

@@ -4,7 +4,15 @@ use crate::error::Result;
 use owo_colors::OwoColorize;
 use std::path::Path;
 
-pub fn run_init(target: Option<&Path>, stdio: bool) -> Result<()> {
+/// Result of running init, for structured callers (e.g. stdio response).
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum InitOutcome {
+    Created,
+    Skipped,
+    Overwritten,
+}
+
+pub fn run_init(target: Option<&Path>, stdio: bool, force: bool) -> Result<InitOutcome> {
     let target_path = target.unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new("."));
     let info = detect_project(target_path)?;
 
@@ -20,25 +28,32 @@ pub fn run_init(target: Option<&Path>, stdio: bool) -> Result<()> {
     let config = BarzelConfig::from_project_info(&info);
     let config_path = target_path.join(".barzel.toml");
 
-    if config_path.exists() {
+    if config_path.exists() && !force {
         if !stdio {
             println!(
                 "{} .barzel.toml already exists — skipping (use --force to overwrite)",
                 "⚠".bright_yellow()
             );
         }
-        return Ok(());
+        return Ok(InitOutcome::Skipped);
     }
 
+    let outcome = if config_path.exists() { InitOutcome::Overwritten } else { InitOutcome::Created };
+
     config.save(&config_path)?;
 
     let barzel_dir = target_path.join(".barzel");
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&barzel_dir)?;
 
     if !stdio {
+        let action = match outcome {
+            InitOutcome::Overwritten => "Overwrote",
+            _ => "Created",
+        };
         println!(
-            "{} Created {}",
+            "{} {} {}",
             "✓".bright_green(),
+            action,
             ".barzel.toml".bright_cyan()
         );
         println!(
@@ -52,7 +67,7 @@ pub fn run_init(target: Option<&Path>, stdio: bool) -> Result<()> {
         println!("  {}  barzel run --layer logic", "→".bright_blue());
     }
 
-    Ok(())
+    Ok(outcome)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -65,45 +80,58 @@ mod tests {
     fn init_creates_barzel_toml() {
         let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
         fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"test\"").unwrap();
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        let outcome = run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
         assert!(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml").exists());
+        assert_eq!(outcome, InitOutcome::Created);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn init_creates_barzel_directory() {
         let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
         fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"test\"").unwrap();
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
         assert!(dir.path().join(".barzel").exists());
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn init_skips_if_toml_already_exists() {
+    fn init_skips_if_toml_already_exists_without_force() {
         let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
         fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"test\"").unwrap();
-        // First init
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
         // Overwrite .barzel.toml with sentinel content
         fs::write(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml"), b"# sentinel").unwrap();
-        // Second init should skip (not overwrite)
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        // Second init without --force should skip
+        let outcome = run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
+        let content = fs::read_to_string(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml")).unwrap();
+        assert!(content.contains("sentinel"), "sentinel must be preserved when skipping");
+        assert_eq!(outcome, InitOutcome::Skipped);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_force_overwrites_existing_toml() {
+        let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
+        fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"test\"").unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
+        // Write sentinel
+        fs::write(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml"), b"# sentinel").unwrap();
+        // Force overwrite
+        let outcome = run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, true).unwrap();
         let content = fs::read_to_string(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml")).unwrap();
-        assert!(content.contains("sentinel"));
+        assert!(!content.contains("sentinel"), "sentinel must be gone after force overwrite");
+        assert_eq!(outcome, InitOutcome::Overwritten);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn init_uses_current_dir_when_no_path() {
-        // This just checks it doesn't panic/error when path is None
-        // (it will use `.` which exists)
-        let result = run_init(None, true);
+        let result = run_init(None, true, false);
         assert!(result.is_ok());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn init_works_for_typescript_project() {
         let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
         fs::write(dir.path().join("package.json"), br#"{"name":"my-app"}"#).unwrap();
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
         assert!(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml").exists());
         let content = fs::read_to_string(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml")).unwrap();
         assert!(content.contains("typescript") || content.contains("my-app"));
@@ -113,7 +141,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn init_toml_contains_project_name() {
         let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
         fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"my-crate\"").unwrap();
-        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true).unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
         let content = fs::read_to_string(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml")).unwrap();
         assert!(content.contains("my-crate"));
     }

src/main.rs

@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
     };
 
     match command {
-        Commands::Init { path } => match init::run_init(path.as_deref(), false) {
-            Ok(()) => ExitCode::SUCCESS,
+        Commands::Init { path, force } => match init::run_init(path.as_deref(), false, force) {
+            Ok(_) => ExitCode::SUCCESS,
             Err(e) => {
                 eprintln!("{} {}", "Error:".bright_red(), e);
                 ExitCode::from(1)

src/stdio.rs

@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ pub(crate) struct StdioRequest {
     pub(crate) package_path: Option<String>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub(crate) language: Option<String>,
+    /// Overwrite existing .barzel.toml when running the `init` command.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub(crate) force: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(serde::Serialize)]
@@ -306,6 +309,15 @@ pub(crate) fn build_stdio_report_payload(
     Ok(serde_json::json!({ "report": report_json }))
 }
 
+fn init_status_and_message(outcome: &crate::init::InitOutcome) -> (&'static str, &'static str) {
+    use crate::init::InitOutcome;
+    match outcome {
+        InitOutcome::Created     => ("created",     "project initialized"),
+        InitOutcome::Skipped     => ("skipped",     "config already exists"),
+        InitOutcome::Overwritten => ("overwritten", "config overwritten"),
+    }
+}
+
 // ── Command dispatcher ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 pub(crate) fn handle_stdio() -> ExitCode {
@@ -329,15 +341,17 @@ pub(crate) fn handle_stdio() -> ExitCode {
         "init" => {
             let path = req.project_path.as_deref().map(Path::new);
             let target = path.unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new("."));
-            match crate::init::run_init(Some(target), true) {
-                Ok(()) => {
+            match crate::init::run_init(Some(target), true, req.force) {
+                Ok(outcome) => {
+                    let (config_status, message) = init_status_and_message(&outcome);
                     let project = crate::detect::detect_project(target).ok();
                     let resp = create_response(
                         "success",
                         request_id,
                         Some(serde_json::json!({
-                            "message": "project initialized",
+                            "message": message,
                             "config_file": ".barzel.toml",
+                            "config_status": config_status,
                             "language": project.as_ref().map(|p| p.language.to_string()),
                             "frameworks": project.as_ref().map(|p| serde_json::json!({
                                 "is_nextjs": p.frameworks.is_nextjs,
@@ -1170,6 +1184,63 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(entries[0]["language"].as_str(), Some("rust"));
     }
 
+    // ── stdio init / force flag ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stdio_request_parses_force_true() {
+        let json = r#"{"command":"init","force":true}"#;
+        let req: StdioRequest = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert!(req.force, "force:true must be parsed from request");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stdio_request_force_defaults_to_false() {
+        let json = r#"{"command":"init"}"#;
+        let req: StdioRequest = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert!(!req.force, "force must default to false when absent");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_build_run_data_config_status_skipped() {
+        use crate::init::{InitOutcome, run_init};
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"x\"").unwrap();
+        // First init creates the file
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
+        // Second init without force returns Skipped
+        let outcome = run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(outcome, InitOutcome::Skipped);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_force_returns_overwritten_outcome() {
+        use crate::init::{InitOutcome, run_init};
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(dir.path().join("Cargo.toml"), b"[package]\nname=\"x\"").unwrap();
+        run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, false).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml"), b"# sentinel").unwrap();
+        let outcome = run_init(Some(dir.path()), true, true).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(outcome, InitOutcome::Overwritten);
+        let content = std::fs::read_to_string(dir.path().join(".barzel.toml")).unwrap();
+        assert!(!content.contains("sentinel"), "force must overwrite sentinel content");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_config_status_and_message_mapping() {
+        use crate::init::InitOutcome;
+        // Call the production helper used by handle_stdio so the test guards the actual contract.
+        let cases = [
+            (InitOutcome::Created,     "created",     "project initialized"),
+            (InitOutcome::Skipped,     "skipped",     "config already exists"),
+            (InitOutcome::Overwritten, "overwritten", "config overwritten"),
+        ];
+        for (outcome, expected_status, expected_msg) in cases {
+            let (status, msg) = init_status_and_message(&outcome);
+            assert_eq!(status, expected_status, "config_status must be '{expected_status}'");
+            assert_eq!(msg, expected_msg, "message must be '{expected_msg}'");
+        }
+    }
+
     // ── tool registry / check payload ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
     #[test]