fix(cli): improve error message for custom mode not found

.changeset/cli-custom-modes-error-message.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@kilocode/cli": patch
+---
+
+fix(cli): improve error message for custom mode not found

cli/src/commands/__tests__/mode.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ import { modeCommand } from "../mode.js"
 import type { CommandContext } from "../core/types.js"
 import type { ModeConfig } from "../../types/messages.js"
 
+// Mock getSearchedPaths
+vi.mock("../../config/customModes.js", () => ({
+	getSearchedPaths: vi.fn().mockReturnValue([
+		{ type: "global", path: "/global/path/custom_modes.yaml", found: false },
+		{ type: "project", path: "/project/path/.kilocodemodes", found: true, modesCount: 1 },
+	]),
+}))
+
 describe("modeCommand", () => {
 	let mockContext: CommandContext
 	let mockAddMessage: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>
@@ -60,7 +68,12 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 			sendWebviewMessage: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
 			refreshTerminal: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
 			chatMessages: [],
-		}
+			currentTask: undefined,
+			modelListPageIndex: 0,
+			modelListFilters: { search: "" },
+			updateModelListFilters: vi.fn(),
+			updateModelListPageIndex: vi.fn(),
+		} as unknown as CommandContext
 	})
 
 	describe("command metadata", () => {
@@ -184,6 +197,9 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 			const message = mockAddMessage.mock.calls[0][0]
 			expect(message.type).toBe("error")
 			expect(message.content).toContain('Invalid mode "invalid-mode"')
+			expect(message.content).toContain("The CLI searched for custom modes in:")
+			expect(message.content).toContain("/global/path/custom_modes.yaml")
+			expect(message.content).toContain("/project/path/.kilocodemodes")
 			expect(message.content).toContain("Available modes:")
 		})
 
@@ -217,6 +233,8 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 				name: "Custom Mode",
 				description: "A custom mode",
 				source: "project",
+				roleDefinition: "",
+				groups: ["read", "edit", "browser", "command", "mcp"],
 			}
 			mockContext.customModes = [customMode]
 			mockContext.args = []
@@ -235,6 +253,8 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 				name: "Custom Mode",
 				description: "A custom mode",
 				source: "project",
+				roleDefinition: "",
+				groups: ["read", "edit", "browser", "command", "mcp"],
 			}
 			mockContext.customModes = [customMode]
 			mockContext.args = ["custom"]
@@ -250,6 +270,8 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 				name: "Custom Mode",
 				description: "A custom mode",
 				source: "project",
+				roleDefinition: "",
+				groups: ["read", "edit", "browser", "command", "mcp"],
 			}
 			mockContext.customModes = [customMode]
 			mockContext.args = ["custom"]
@@ -266,6 +288,8 @@ describe("modeCommand", () => {
 				name: "Org Mode",
 				description: "An org mode",
 				source: "organization",
+				roleDefinition: "",
+				groups: ["read", "edit", "browser", "command", "mcp"],
 			}
 			mockContext.customModes = [orgMode]
 			mockContext.args = []

cli/src/commands/mode.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { ModeConfig } from "../types/messages.js"
 import type { Command, ArgumentProviderContext, CommandContext } from "./core/types.js"
 import { getAllModes } from "../constants/modes/defaults.js"
+import { getSearchedPaths } from "../config/customModes.js"
 
 async function modeAutocompleteProvider(context: ArgumentProviderContext) {
 	const customModes = context.commandContext?.customModes || []
@@ -46,10 +47,18 @@ function showInvalidModeError(
 	availableSlugs: string[],
 	addMessage: CommandContext["addMessage"],
 ) {
+	const searchedPaths = getSearchedPaths()
+	const pathsDetails = searchedPaths
+		.map((searched) => {
+			const status = searched.found ? `found, ${searched.modesCount} mode(s)` : "not found"
+			return `  • ${searched.type === "global" ? "Global" : "Project"}: ${searched.path} (${status})`
+		})
+		.join("\n")
+
 	addMessage({
 		id: Date.now().toString(),
 		type: "error",
-		content: `Invalid mode "${requestedMode}". Available modes: ${availableSlugs.join(", ")}`,
+		content: `Invalid mode "${requestedMode}".\n\nThe CLI searched for custom modes in:\n${pathsDetails}\n\nAvailable modes: ${availableSlugs.join(", ")}`,
 		ts: Date.now(),
 	})
 }

cli/src/config/__tests__/customModes.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,266 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi, type Mock } from "vitest"
+import { loadCustomModes, getSearchedPaths } from "../customModes.js"
+
+// Mock the logs service
+vi.mock("../../services/logs.js", () => ({
+	logs: {
+		info: vi.fn(),
+		debug: vi.fn(),
+		error: vi.fn(),
+		warn: vi.fn(),
+	},
+}))
+
+// Mock fs modules
+vi.mock("fs/promises", () => ({
+	readFile: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock("fs", () => ({
+	existsSync: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+// Import mocked modules
+import { existsSync } from "fs"
+import { readFile } from "fs/promises"
+
+const VALID_YAML_CONTENT = `
+customModes:
+  - slug: test-mode
+    name: Test Mode
+    roleDefinition: This is a test mode
+    groups:
+      - read
+      - edit
+  - slug: another-mode
+    name: Another Mode
+    roleDefinition: Another test mode
+`
+
+const INVALID_YAML_CONTENT = `
+this is not valid yaml: [[[
+`
+
+const EMPTY_YAML_CONTENT = `
+customModes: []
+`
+
+describe("customModes", () => {
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		vi.clearAllMocks()
+	})
+
+	describe("getSearchedPaths", () => {
+		it("should return empty array before loadCustomModes is called", async () => {
+			// Reset by loading with no files
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(false)
+			await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			const paths = getSearchedPaths()
+			expect(paths).toHaveLength(2)
+			expect(paths[0].type).toBe("global")
+			expect(paths[1].type).toBe("project")
+		})
+
+		it("should return searched paths with correct structure", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(false)
+			await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			const paths = getSearchedPaths()
+			expect(paths).toHaveLength(2)
+
+			// Check global path structure
+			expect(paths[0]).toMatchObject({
+				type: "global",
+				found: false,
+				modesCount: 0,
+			})
+			expect(paths[0].path).toContain("custom_modes.yaml")
+
+			// Check project path structure
+			expect(paths[1]).toMatchObject({
+				type: "project",
+				path: "/test/workspace/.kilocodemodes",
+				found: false,
+				modesCount: 0,
+			})
+		})
+	})
+
+	describe("loadCustomModes", () => {
+		it("should return empty array when no config files exist", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(false)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toEqual([])
+			expect(existsSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+		})
+
+		it("should load modes from global config file", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockImplementation((path: string) => {
+				return path.includes("custom_modes.yaml")
+			})
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(VALID_YAML_CONTENT)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toHaveLength(2)
+			expect(modes[0].slug).toBe("test-mode")
+			expect(modes[0].name).toBe("Test Mode")
+			expect(modes[1].slug).toBe("another-mode")
+		})
+
+		it("should load modes from project config file", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockImplementation((path: string) => {
+				return path.includes(".kilocodemodes")
+			})
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(VALID_YAML_CONTENT)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toHaveLength(2)
+			expect(modes[0].slug).toBe("test-mode")
+		})
+
+		it("should merge global and project modes with project taking precedence", async () => {
+			const globalYaml = `
+customModes:
+  - slug: shared-mode
+    name: Global Shared Mode
+    roleDefinition: From global
+`
+			const projectYaml = `
+customModes:
+  - slug: shared-mode
+    name: Project Shared Mode
+    roleDefinition: From project
+`
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockImplementation(async (path: string) => {
+				if (path.includes("custom_modes.yaml")) {
+					return globalYaml
+				}
+				return projectYaml
+			})
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toHaveLength(1)
+			expect(modes[0].name).toBe("Project Shared Mode")
+			expect(modes[0].roleDefinition).toBe("From project")
+		})
+
+		it("should track found status correctly in searchedPaths", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockImplementation((path: string) => {
+				return path.includes("custom_modes.yaml") // Only global exists
+			})
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(VALID_YAML_CONTENT)
+
+			await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+			const paths = getSearchedPaths()
+
+			expect(paths[0].found).toBe(true)
+			expect(paths[0].modesCount).toBe(2)
+			expect(paths[1].found).toBe(false)
+			expect(paths[1].modesCount).toBe(0)
+		})
+
+		it("should handle invalid YAML gracefully", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(INVALID_YAML_CONTENT)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			// Should return empty array on parse failure
+			expect(modes).toEqual([])
+		})
+
+		it("should handle empty customModes array", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(EMPTY_YAML_CONTENT)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toEqual([])
+		})
+
+		it("should handle file read errors gracefully", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockRejectedValue(new Error("Permission denied"))
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toEqual([])
+		})
+
+		it("should filter out modes without required slug and name", async () => {
+			const incompleteYaml = `
+customModes:
+  - slug: valid-mode
+    name: Valid Mode
+  - slug: missing-name
+  - name: Missing Slug
+  - roleDefinition: No slug or name
+`
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(incompleteYaml)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toHaveLength(1)
+			expect(modes[0].slug).toBe("valid-mode")
+		})
+
+		it("should provide default values for optional mode properties", async () => {
+			const minimalYaml = `
+customModes:
+  - slug: minimal
+    name: Minimal Mode
+`
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(true)
+			;(readFile as Mock).mockResolvedValue(minimalYaml)
+
+			const modes = await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+
+			expect(modes).toHaveLength(1)
+			expect(modes[0].roleDefinition).toBe("")
+			expect(modes[0].groups).toEqual(["read", "edit", "browser", "command", "mcp"])
+		})
+	})
+
+	describe("platform-specific paths", () => {
+		it("should include platform-appropriate global path", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(false)
+
+			await loadCustomModes("/test/workspace")
+			const paths = getSearchedPaths()
+
+			const globalPath = paths[0].path
+
+			// Check it includes expected path components
+			expect(globalPath).toContain("kilocode.kilo-code")
+			expect(globalPath).toContain("custom_modes.yaml")
+
+			// Platform-specific checks
+			if (process.platform === "darwin") {
+				expect(globalPath).toContain("Library")
+				expect(globalPath).toContain("Application Support")
+			} else if (process.platform === "win32") {
+				expect(globalPath).toContain("AppData")
+				expect(globalPath).toContain("Roaming")
+			} else {
+				expect(globalPath).toContain(".config")
+			}
+		})
+
+		it("should construct project path correctly", async () => {
+			;(existsSync as Mock).mockReturnValue(false)
+
+			await loadCustomModes("/my/custom/workspace")
+			const paths = getSearchedPaths()
+
+			expect(paths[1].path).toBe("/my/custom/workspace/.kilocodemodes")
+		})
+	})
+})