From 3eb2715c7a91103c78419b3e949a2555a97dc1b3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: John Ericson <John.Ericson@Obsidian.Systems>
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:50:31 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Make `OutputsSpec::All` JSON be `"*"` not `["*"]`

If it is a list, then it looks like an output set (`OutputSpec::Names`),
but if it is just the string `"*"`, then it is more clearly
destinguished from all output sets.
---
 .../data/derived-path/multi_built_built_wildcard.json    | 4 +---
 src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/all.json            | 4 +---
 src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/extended/all.json   | 4 +---
 src/libstore/outputs-spec.cc                             | 9 +++++----
 4 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/libstore-tests/data/derived-path/multi_built_built_wildcard.json b/src/libstore-tests/data/derived-path/multi_built_built_wildcard.json
index da1f9d996ac..073c502f519 100644
--- a/src/libstore-tests/data/derived-path/multi_built_built_wildcard.json
+++ b/src/libstore-tests/data/derived-path/multi_built_built_wildcard.json
@@ -3,7 +3,5 @@
     "drvPath": "g1w7hy3qg1w7hy3qg1w7hy3qg1w7hy3q-foo.drv",
     "output": "bar"
   },
-  "outputs": [
-    "*"
-  ]
+  "outputs": "*"
 }
diff --git a/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/all.json b/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/all.json
index 1449203e9ff..90b74f3fd0e 100644
--- a/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/all.json
+++ b/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/all.json
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-[
-  "*"
-]
+"*"
diff --git a/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/extended/all.json b/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/extended/all.json
index 1449203e9ff..90b74f3fd0e 100644
--- a/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/extended/all.json
+++ b/src/libstore-tests/data/outputs-spec/extended/all.json
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-[
-  "*"
-]
+"*"
diff --git a/src/libstore/outputs-spec.cc b/src/libstore/outputs-spec.cc
index 622df5fc344..027444de00f 100644
--- a/src/libstore/outputs-spec.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/outputs-spec.cc
@@ -139,18 +139,19 @@ using namespace nix;
 
 OutputsSpec adl_serializer<OutputsSpec>::from_json(const json & json)
 {
-    auto names = json.get<StringSet>();
-    if (names == StringSet({"*"}))
+    if (json.is_string() && json.get<std::string>() == "*")
         return OutputsSpec::All{};
-    else
+    else {
+        auto names = json.get<StringSet>();
         return OutputsSpec::Names{std::move(names)};
+    }
 }
 
 void adl_serializer<OutputsSpec>::to_json(json & json, const OutputsSpec & t)
 {
     std::visit(
         overloaded{
-            [&](const OutputsSpec::All &) { json = std::vector<std::string>({"*"}); },
+            [&](const OutputsSpec::All &) { json = "*"; },
             [&](const OutputsSpec::Names & names) { json = names; },
         },
         t.raw);