Add --null flag to aquery and cquery
- Dominant language
- Java
- Stars
- 25.8k
- Forks
- 4.6k
- Avg merge
- 2d 20h
- Merged PRs (30d)
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Description
### Description of the feature request:
The `bazel query` command supports a [--null flag](https://bazel.build/reference/command-line-reference#query-flag--null) which expands out to [--line_terminator_null=true](https://bazel.build/reference/command-line-reference#query-flag--line_terminator_null).
This feature is useful for piping the output of the `query` command. The \0 (NUL) character is useful to unambiguously separate the output. Other tools such as GNU parallel, xargs, find, grep, etc... support separating input/output with NUL characters.
For all the reasons that the `--null` flag is useful for `query`, it should be added to `aquery` and `cquery` as well for consistency. They already support the `--line_terminator_null` flag anyway.
### Which category does this issue belong to?
CLI
### What underlying problem are you trying to solve with this feature?
There is an inconsistency in between `query`, `aquery`, and `cquery` commands.
### Which operating system are you running Bazel on?
Linux
### What is the output of `bazel info release`?
release 7.7.1
### If `bazel info release` returns `development version` or `(@non-git)`, tell us how you built Bazel.
_No response_
### What's the output of `git remote get-url origin; git rev-parse HEAD` ?
```text
https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel.git
8b330812188b7323e852f733344fc5e1645f1a08
```
### Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?
_No response_
### Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?
_No response_
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by comparing how the query command defines --null and --line_terminator_null, then inspect the corresponding aquery and cquery command-line entry points. Confirm the existing null line terminator behavior and identify the relevant command tests; done means both commands accept --null consistently with query.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- java
- Domain
- build-system, cli
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100