Show the same compile errors as for standard classes when apex script is run.

[PawelWozniak]

Summary

When I write an Apex script, I often get cryptic errors like

Error: Line: 118, Column: 1
Error: Unexpected token 'private'.

I would like to have the same error as in class compile

 Missing ';' at 'newContact.MailingCountry' (135:9)   

Steps To Reproduce

1. Paste this example code into the apex script. And try to run it.

// (...) some code above to create the account.

private static Contact createTestContact(Account acc) { // Line 118
	Contact newContact = new Contact();
	newContact.Academic_Title__c = 'Dr.';
	newContact.AccountId = acc.Id;
	newContact.Email = 'bobsmith@example.com';
	newContact.FirstName = 'Bob';
	newContact.GenderIdentity = 'Male';
	newContact.LastName = testContactLastName;
	newContact.Phone = '+49012345678';
	newContact.MailingStreet = 'Teststreet 58';
	newContact.MailingCity = 'TestCity';
	newContact.MailingPostalCode = '12-345' // Line 129, mising semicolon here
	newContact.MailingCountry = 'Germany';

	insert newContact;
	return newContact;
}

That gives an error:

Error: Line: 118, Column: 1
Error: Unexpected token 'private'.

Which is completely misleading. It points to the other line, and the error message is useless.

2. Paste the same code into the apex class and try to save it.
   You will get an error:

 Missing ';' at 'newContact.MailingCountry' (135:9)   

Now I know what is going on.

Expected result

I am getting the same informative error message in the Apex script.

Actual result

I am getting a misleading error message.

Additional information

System Information

{
  "architecture": "win32-x64",
  "cliVersion": "@salesforce/cli/2.108.6",
  "nodeVersion": "node-v22.20.0",
  "osVersion": "Windows_NT 10.0.26100",
  "rootPath": "C:\\Users\\####\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@salesforce\\cli",
  "shell": "powershell",
  "pluginVersions": [
    "@oclif/plugin-autocomplete 3.2.35 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-commands 4.1.33 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-help 6.2.33 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-not-found 3.2.68 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-plugins 5.4.47 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-search 1.2.31 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-update 4.7.7 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-version 2.2.33 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-warn-if-update-available 3.1.48 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-which 3.2.40 (core)",
    "@salesforce/cli 2.108.6 (core)",
    "agent 1.24.13 (core)",
    "apex 3.8.1 (core)",
    "api 1.3.3 (core)",
    "auth 3.9.8 (core)",
    "code-analyzer 5.5.0 (user) published 21 days ago (Tue Sep 30 2025)",
    "data 4.0.57 (core)",
    "deploy-retrieve 3.23.3 (core)",
    "info 3.4.88 (core)",
    "lightning-dev 4.5.2 (user) published 9 days ago (Mon Oct 13 2025)",
    "limits 3.3.67 (core)",
    "marketplace 1.3.8 (core)",
    "org 5.9.30 (core)",
    "packaging 2.20.5 (core)",
    "schema 3.3.82 (core)",
    "settings 2.4.48 (core)",
    "sobject 1.4.73 (core)",
    "telemetry 3.6.57 (core)",
    "templates 56.3.65 (core)",
    "trust 3.7.113 (core)",
    "user 3.6.38 (core)",
    "@salesforce/sfdx-scanner 4.12.0 (user) published 175 days ago (Tue Apr 29 2025)",
    "sfdmu 4.38.0 (user) published 297 days ago (Sun Dec 29 2024)",
    "sfdx-git-delta 6.22.0 (user) published 12 days ago (Thu Oct 09 2025) (latest is 6.23.0)"
  ]
}

[github-actions]

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[WillieRuemmele]

hi @PawelWozniak - what CLI commands are you using? what files are you creating?

[PawelWozniak]

@WillieRuemmele I am using VSCode and runing it from there. But I suppose that under the hood it is using cli commands and just forwarding results back to VSCode.

[WillieRuemmele]

@PawelWozniak - that used to be true for everything, but now VSC invokes the same libraries instead of relying on the CLI directly, so there can be bugs with how VSC has implemented the libraries, or bugs in the libraries... if you can recreate this using CLI commands, we'll be able to help you... but if this is a VSC only problem, we'll transfer it to their repo

[PawelWozniak]

@WillieRuemmele It can be replicated with CLI only, here is a file (txt as github don't accept .apex)
test.txt
run from CLI:
sf apex run --file ./test.txt
You will get:

Error (executeCompileFailure): Compilation failed at Line 3 column 1 with the error:

Unexpected token 'private'.

Edit the file and add missing semicolon then rerun that command, output:

Compiled successfully.
Executed successfully.

In the case with mising semicolon I would expect to get the same error as during compilation that is done during saving file in Salesforce org. Should be:

 Missing ';' at 'newContact.MailingCountry' (135:9)   

So there is some difference in the way how it is compiled or how output form compilation is passed back to the user.
For me personally it is a huge pain when I am writing longer scripts.

[github-actions]

This issue has not received a response in 7 days. It will auto-close in 7 days unless a response is posted.

[cristiand391]

hey @PawelWozniak

I was looking at this today and can repro what you see, making the apex run print the API response from the execAnon apex request shows this:

➜  Downloads sf apex run --file test.txt --target-org test-5fsywjtcmfun@example.com
 ›   Warning: @salesforce/plugin-apex is a linked ESM module and cannot be auto-transpiled. Existing compiled
 ›   source will be used instead.
{
  "compiled": false,
  "success": false,
  "logs": "",
  "diagnostic": [
    {
      "lineNumber": "3",
      "columnNumber": "1",
      "compileProblem": "Unexpected token 'private'.",
      "exceptionMessage": "",
      "exceptionStackTrace": ""
    }
  ]
}
Error (executeCompileFailure): Compilation failed at Line 3 column 1 with the error:

Unexpected token 'private'.

sf apex run uses the executeanonymous SOAP call which doesn't throw the same errors as when you compile it in your orgs so there's no easy way to get the same errors:
https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api.meta/api/sforce_api_calls_executeanonymous.htm

there's a compileClasses SOAP method but that requires that you deploy an Apex class to the org (so, not anonymous Apex)

[PawelWozniak]

@cristiand391
I understend now the difference. However that doesen't make life easier. My current workaround is a dummy class in SF where I create such scripts.

I see that you have set that as not planned but I think it would be usefull. I will create an idea about such improvement then.