how to enable custom lints in an application when using my lint package.

[bsutton]

I'm a little confused on how to trigger a custom lint in my scenario.

I maintain the package lint_hard https://pub.dev/packages/lint_hard and I've added a custom lint using the dart_custom_lint package.

In the lint_hard package I have:

name: lint_hard
version: 6.2.1
environment:
  sdk: '>=3.7.0 <4.0.0'
dependencies:
  analyzer: ^7.6.0
  analyzer_plugin: ^0.13.4
  custom_lint_builder: ^0.8.0

and in lint_hard's analysis_options.yaml:

analyzer:
  plugins:
    - custom_lint

I have another package (called monitor) that uses lint_hard and it correctly shows the custom lints that I've created in lint_hard.
The problem is that I have a flutter app that also uses the same version of lint_hard and the custom lint isn't showing.

When developing the custom lint I used the monitor package to experiment with getting the custom_lint to work and did lots of operations on the package in an attempt to get it to work. So now I'm not certain if there was some action (like running the custom_lint builder) that I did on that package.

The doco says the the client package (monitor) needs to include a 'plugin' statement for custom_lint but clearly I don't have that (instead its in the lint_hard package) and the custom_lint is working.

So what I'm looking for is what instructions do I need to give users of lint_hard in order for my custom lint to be triggered in their application given that lint_hard declares the custom_lint plugin?

[bsutton]

Just a follow up:

this documentation seems to be incorrect:

The application also needs to add custom_lint and our package(s) as dev dependency in their application:

# The pubspec.yaml of an application using our lints
name: example_app
environment:
  sdk: ">=3.0.0 <4.0.0"

dev_dependencies:
  custom_lint:
  my_custom_lint_package:

Given that my_custom_lint_package will already include 'custom_lint', an explicit declaration of custom_lint seems unnecessary given that it's now a transitive dependency and the users package will never refer to it in an import statement (where transitive dependencies are discouraged).

[bsutton]

So I'm wondering if this is a performance issue.

I've just added lint_hard (with a custom_lint) to a rather small package (580 lines) and a warning for my custom lint is showing up.

some more information:

lint_hard package

lint_hard has a dep on custom_lint_builder and a plugins statement in analysis_options.yaml. lint_hard implements the custom lint.

small package (580 lines).

From within the package using lint_hard (which has the custom lint).

The application has a dev dep on lint_hard.
The application has NEITHER a plugins statement NOR a dep on custom_lint.

vs-code shows the lints with in a few seconds of running pub get.

large app (60kloc)

I'm now thinking this is a performance issue with custom_lint, the app is configured correctly but the analysis is taking a long time to completed.

Is there a way to determine if this is the cause.

documentation appears to be incorrect.

From my tests the consuming package does not need a dev dep on custom_lint nor a plugin statement, so the doco appears to be incorrect.

Edit: for clarity.

[bsutton]

update:
I've now successfully applied the custom lint (via the lint_hard package) to 6 other packages.
In each case I've not had to depend on the custom_lint package nor add the plugins statement.

In each case vscode displayed the lints and the associated fixes.

The larger flutter application has been sitting open in vscode for the past hour or so and the custom lints have still note appeared in the vscode ui.

there is also no custom_lint.log file which has appeared in some of the other packages (occasionally when applying a lint fix an error would be thrown).

[rrousselGit]

The Readme is correct. These are the steps to enable lints https://github.com/invertase/dart_custom_lint?tab=readme-ov-file#using-our-custom-lint-package-in-an-application

[bsutton]

I've now deployed lint_hard into 6 separate packages and I've not had to add the plugins statement nor the custom_lint to any of them - vs code has reported the custom lints each time. Is it just that the rules need to be applied only for an app - but that doesn't make much sense.

…

On Sat, 16 Aug 2025, 6:28 pm Remi Rousselet, ***@***.***> wrote: *rrousselGit* left a comment (invertase/dart_custom_lint#346) <#346 (comment)> The Readme is correct. These are the steps to enable lints https://github.com/invertase/dart_custom_lint?tab=readme-ov-file#using-our-custom-lint-package-in-an-application — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#346 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAG32OH3U52P652YYIOTKZD3N3TTFAVCNFSM6AAAAACEAVM7M2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTCOJTGQ4TMNJVHA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[rrousselGit]

Both are necessary.

[pedromassango]

I can confirm that after following the readme file I still cannot see the custom lints created, everything was setup correctly, I even restarted the laptop

[rrousselGit]

The issue is stating the exact opposite :)
They're sayinng that they didn't follow the install instructions and still see the lints!

If you have some issue with lints, make a new issue. And make sure to include logs.

[pedromassango]

I meant, followed the steps in the link on #346 (comment)

[rrousselGit]

Sure but that's still not the topic of this issue, and I still don't have logs or an example app.
There's a high chance that something is up with either the version of the packages you're using; some compatibility issue with the Dart SDK/IDE; or anything else really.

[bsutton]

@rrousselGit then I think you have mis-understood what I'm saying.

I've implemented a custom lint in the lint_hard package. https://pub.dev/packages/lint_hard

For a number of packages I maintain, I've added lint_hard as a dev dep and the custom lint shows up in vs-code.
These packages DO NOT have the plugin/custom_lint statement nor a dev dep on custom_lint.
e.g: https://github.com/onepub-dev/fixed

I have an application which has lint_hard as a dev dependency and which DOES have the plugin/custom_lint and custom_lint as a dev dependency. For this application the custom_lint DOES NOT appear on vs-code.

There is no custom_lint.log in the aplications root diretory.

here is the application in question:

https://github.com/bsutton/hmb/tree/custom_lint

edit: clarity
edit2: i've created a branch in git for the app 'custom_lint' so my ongoing changes don't interfere with you having a look at it.

[bsutton]

I should note that running dart run custom_lint does show the custom lint warnings in the application.

[Rexios80]

I'm getting this error which is probably related

The request analysis.setContextRoots failed with the following error:
RequestErrorCode.PLUGIN_ERROR
ProcessException: No such file or directory
  Command: dart lib/custom_lint_client.dart ::1 62989
at:
#0      _ProcessImpl._start (dart:io-patch/process_patch.dart:421)
#1      Process.start (dart:io-patch/process_patch.dart:42)
#2      SocketCustomLintServerToClientChannel._startProcess.<anonymous closure> (package:custom_lint/src/v2/server_to_client_channel.dart:155)
#3      _asyncRetry (package:custom_lint/src/v2/server_to_client_channel.dart:24)
<asynchronous suspension>
#4      SocketCustomLintServerToClientChannel.init (package:custom_lint/src/v2/server_to_client_channel.dart:111)
<asynchronous suspension>
#5      CustomLintServer._maybeSpawnCustomLintPlugin (package:custom_lint/src/v2/custom_lint_analyzer_plugin.dart:396)
<asynchronous suspension>
#6      CustomLintServer._handleAnalysisSetContextRoots.<anonymous closure> (package:custom_lint/src/v2/custom_lint_analyzer_plugin.dart:343)
<asynchronous suspension>
#7      PendingOperation.run (package:custom_lint/src/async_operation.dart:22)
<asynchronous suspension>
#8      CustomLintServer._handleRequest (package:custom_lint/src/v2/custom_lint_analyzer_plugin.dart:175)
<asynchronous suspension>