Add actionable suggestions to "workflow not found" errors (#3896)

Author: Copilot

cmd/gh-aw/main.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/cli"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/console"
@@ -189,7 +190,13 @@ Examples:
 			JSONOutput:           jsonOutput,
 		}
 		if _, err := cli.CompileWorkflows(config); err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatErrorMessage(err.Error()))
+			errMsg := err.Error()
+			// Check if error is already formatted (contains suggestions or starts with ✗)
+			if strings.Contains(errMsg, "Suggestions:") || strings.HasPrefix(errMsg, "✗") {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, errMsg)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatErrorMessage(errMsg))
+			}
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 	},

pkg/cli/commands.go

@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	_ "embed"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/console"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/constants"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/logger"
 )
@@ -79,10 +81,18 @@ func resolveWorkflowFile(fileOrWorkflowName string, verbose bool) (string, error
 	// Try to find the workflow in local sources only (not packages)
 	_, path, err := readWorkflowFile(workflowPath, workflowsDir)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("workflow '%s' not found in local .github/workflows or components", fileOrWorkflowName)
+		suggestions := []string{
+			fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see all available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+			fmt.Sprintf("Create a new workflow with '%s new %s'", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix, fileOrWorkflowName),
+			"Check for typos in the workflow name",
+		}
+		return "", errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+			fmt.Sprintf("workflow '%s' not found in local .github/workflows", fileOrWorkflowName),
+			suggestions,
+		))
 	}
 
-	commandsLog.Print("Found workflow in local components")
+	commandsLog.Print("Found workflow in local .github/workflows")
 
 	// Return absolute path
 	absPath, err := filepath.Abs(path)

pkg/cli/compile_command.go

@@ -326,9 +326,9 @@ func CompileWorkflows(config CompileConfig) ([]*workflow.WorkflowData, error) {
 			compileLog.Printf("Resolving workflow file: %s", markdownFile)
 			resolvedFile, err := resolveWorkflowFile(markdownFile, verbose)
 			if err != nil {
-				errMsg := fmt.Sprintf("failed to resolve workflow '%s': %v", markdownFile, err)
 				if !jsonOutput {
-					fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatErrorMessage(errMsg))
+					// Print the error directly - it already contains suggestions and formatting
+					fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err.Error())
 				}
 				errorMessages = append(errorMessages, err.Error())
 				errorCount++

pkg/cli/enable.go

@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/console"
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/constants"
 )
 
 // EnableWorkflowsByNames enables workflows by specific names, or all if no names provided
@@ -167,7 +171,15 @@ func toggleWorkflowsByNames(workflowNames []string, enable bool) error {
 
 	// Report any workflows that weren't found
 	if len(notFoundNames) > 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("workflows not found: %s", strings.Join(notFoundNames, ", "))
+		suggestions := []string{
+			fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see all available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+			"Check for typos in the workflow names",
+			"Ensure the workflows have been compiled and pushed to GitHub",
+		}
+		return errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+			fmt.Sprintf("workflows not found: %s", strings.Join(notFoundNames, ", ")),
+			suggestions,
+		))
 	}
 
 	// If no targets after filtering, everything was already in the desired state

pkg/cli/logs.go

@@ -357,10 +357,15 @@ Examples:
 						workflowName = args[0]
 					} else {
 						// Neither workflow ID nor valid GitHub Actions workflow name
-						fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatError(console.CompilerError{
-							Type:    "error",
-							Message: fmt.Sprintf("workflow '%s' not found. Expected either a workflow ID (e.g., 'test-claude') or GitHub Actions workflow name (e.g., 'Test Claude'). Original error: %v", args[0], err),
-						}))
+						suggestions := []string{
+							fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see all available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+							"Check for typos in the workflow name",
+							"Use the workflow ID (e.g., 'test-claude') or GitHub Actions workflow name (e.g., 'Test Claude')",
+						}
+						fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+							fmt.Sprintf("workflow '%s' not found", args[0]),
+							suggestions,
+						))
 						os.Exit(1)
 					}
 				} else {

pkg/cli/resolver.go

@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/console"
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/constants"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/logger"
 )
 
@@ -40,7 +43,15 @@ func ResolveWorkflowPath(workflowFile string) (string, error) {
 
 	// No matches found
 	resolverLog.Printf("Workflow file not found: %s", workflowPath)
-	return "", fmt.Errorf("workflow file not found: %s", workflowPath)
+	suggestions := []string{
+		fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see all available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+		"Check for typos in the workflow name",
+		"Ensure the workflow file exists in .github/workflows/",
+	}
+	return "", errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+		fmt.Sprintf("workflow file not found: %s", workflowPath),
+		suggestions,
+	))
 }
 
 // NormalizeWorkflowFile normalizes a workflow file name by adding .md extension if missing

pkg/cli/run_command.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ func RunWorkflowOnGitHub(workflowIdOrName string, enable bool, engineOverride st
 
 		_, _, err := readWorkflowFile(workflowIdOrName+".md", workflowsDir)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to find workflow in local .github/workflows or components: %w", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to find workflow in local .github/workflows: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		// For local workflows, use the simple filename
@@ -122,7 +123,14 @@ func RunWorkflowOnGitHub(workflowIdOrName string, enable bool, engineOverride st
 		// Check if the lock file exists in .github/workflows
 		lockFilePath = filepath.Join(".github/workflows", lockFileName)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(lockFilePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("workflow lock file '%s' not found in .github/workflows - run '"+constants.CLIExtensionPrefix+" compile' first", lockFileName)
+			suggestions := []string{
+				fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s compile' to compile all workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+				fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s compile %s' to compile this specific workflow", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix, filename),
+			}
+			return errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+				fmt.Sprintf("workflow lock file '%s' not found in .github/workflows", lockFileName),
+				suggestions,
+			))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -667,5 +675,13 @@ func validateRemoteWorkflow(workflowName string, repoOverride string, verbose bo
 		}
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Errorf("workflow '%s' not found in repository '%s'", lockFileName, repoOverride)
+	suggestions := []string{
+		"Check if the workflow has been pushed to the remote repository",
+		"Verify the workflow file exists in the repository's .github/workflows directory",
+		fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+	}
+	return errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+		fmt.Sprintf("workflow '%s' not found in repository '%s'", lockFileName, repoOverride),
+		suggestions,
+	))
 }

pkg/cli/workflows.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/console"
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/constants"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/pkg/logger"
 )
 
@@ -134,7 +136,15 @@ func getWorkflowStatus(workflowIdOrName string, repoOverride string, verbose boo
 		return workflow, nil
 	}
 
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("workflow '%s' not found on GitHub", workflowIdOrName)
+	suggestions := []string{
+		fmt.Sprintf("Run '%s status' to see all available workflows", constants.CLIExtensionPrefix),
+		"Check if the workflow has been compiled and pushed to GitHub",
+		"Verify the workflow name matches the compiled .lock.yml file",
+	}
+	return nil, errors.New(console.FormatErrorWithSuggestions(
+		fmt.Sprintf("workflow '%s' not found on GitHub", workflowIdOrName),
+		suggestions,
+	))
 }
 
 // restoreWorkflowState restores a workflow to disabled state if it was previously disabled

pkg/console/console.go

@@ -435,6 +435,21 @@ func FormatErrorMessage(message string) string {
 	return applyStyle(errorStyle, "✗ ") + message
 }
 
+// FormatErrorWithSuggestions formats an error message with actionable suggestions
+func FormatErrorWithSuggestions(message string, suggestions []string) string {
+	var output strings.Builder
+	output.WriteString(FormatErrorMessage(message))
+
+	if len(suggestions) > 0 {
+		output.WriteString("\n\nSuggestions:\n")
+		for _, suggestion := range suggestions {
+			output.WriteString("  • " + suggestion + "\n")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return output.String()
+}
+
 // RenderTableAsJSON renders a table configuration as JSON
 // This converts the table structure to a JSON array of objects
 func RenderTableAsJSON(config TableConfig) (string, error) {

pkg/console/console_test.go

@@ -88,6 +88,72 @@ func TestFormatError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFormatErrorWithSuggestions(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name        string
+		message     string
+		suggestions []string
+		expected    []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "error with suggestions",
+			message: "workflow 'test' not found",
+			suggestions: []string{
+				"Run 'gh aw status' to see all available workflows",
+				"Create a new workflow with 'gh aw new test'",
+				"Check for typos in the workflow name",
+			},
+			expected: []string{
+				"✗",
+				"workflow 'test' not found",
+				"Suggestions:",
+				"• Run 'gh aw status' to see all available workflows",
+				"• Create a new workflow with 'gh aw new test'",
+				"• Check for typos in the workflow name",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "error without suggestions",
+			message:     "workflow 'test' not found",
+			suggestions: []string{},
+			expected: []string{
+				"✗",
+				"workflow 'test' not found",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "error with single suggestion",
+			message: "file not found",
+			suggestions: []string{
+				"Check the file path",
+			},
+			expected: []string{
+				"✗",
+				"file not found",
+				"Suggestions:",
+				"• Check the file path",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			output := FormatErrorWithSuggestions(tt.message, tt.suggestions)
+
+			for _, expected := range tt.expected {
+				if !strings.Contains(output, expected) {
+					t.Errorf("Expected output to contain '%s', but got:\n%s", expected, output)
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Verify no suggestions section when empty
+			if len(tt.suggestions) == 0 && strings.Contains(output, "Suggestions:") {
+				t.Errorf("Expected no suggestions section for empty suggestions, got:\n%s", output)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFormatSuccessMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	output := FormatSuccessMessage("compilation completed")
 	if !strings.Contains(output, "compilation completed") {