cli: support --file option in config commands

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 * `jj git import` in non-colocated repositories no longer imports commits from a
   detached Git HEAD branch.
 
+* `jj config {edit,set,unset} --user` now targets the first loaded user
+  configuration file (e.g. `~/.config/jj/config.toml` or the first file in
+  `conf.d/`) instead of prompting interactively when multiple files exist.
+  Use `--file <PATH>` to target a specific config file.
+
 ### Deprecations
 
 ### New features
@@ -33,6 +38,11 @@ to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
   back to prompting the user if the heuristics are inconclusive. It can also run
   in non-interactive mode, which aborts if prompting would be needed.
 
+* `jj config {edit,set,unset}` now support a `--file <PATH>` option to
+  target a specific configuration file (such as files inside a `conf.d/`
+  directory or loaded via `--config-file`). This allows precise file targeting
+  and avoids interactive prompts when multiple config files exist.
+
 ### Fixed bugs
 
 * `jj arrange` now scrolls the viewport to keep the selected commit visible

cli/src/commands/config/edit.rs

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 use jj_lib::config::ConfigLayer;
 use tracing::instrument;
 
-use super::ConfigLevelArgs;
+use super::ConfigTargetArgs;
 use crate::cli_util::CommandHelper;
 use crate::command_error::CommandError;
 use crate::command_error::print_error_sources;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ use crate::ui::Ui;
 #[derive(clap::Args, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ConfigEditArgs {
     #[command(flatten)]
-    pub level: ConfigLevelArgs,
+    pub target: ConfigTargetArgs,
 }
 
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ pub async fn cmd_config_edit(
     args: &ConfigEditArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
     let editor = command.text_editor()?;
-    let file = args.level.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
+    let file = args.target.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
     if !file.path().exists() {
         file.save()?;
     }

cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs

@@ -100,46 +100,74 @@ impl ConfigLevelArgs {
             panic!("No config_level provided")
         }
     }
+}
+
+#[derive(clap::Args, Clone, Debug)]
+#[group(id = "config_target", multiple = false, required = true)]
+pub(crate) struct ConfigTargetArgs {
+    /// Target the user-level config
+    #[arg(long)]
+    user: bool,
+
+    /// Target the repo-level config
+    #[arg(long)]
+    repo: bool,
 
+    /// Target the workspace-level config
+    #[arg(long)]
+    workspace: bool,
+
+    /// Target the config file specified by the given path
+    ///
+    /// The path must point to a valid configuration file location recognized
+    /// by Jujutsu (such as a user/repo/workspace config, a file inside a
+    /// `conf.d/` directory, or any file loaded via system configs,
+    /// `$JJ_CONFIG`, or `--config-file`).
+    ///
+    /// Unlike the global `--config-file` option (which loads an extra config
+    /// file when running commands), this option specifies which file to
+    /// inspect, edit, or modify on disk.
+    ///
+    /// If the file does not exist, commands like `set` and `edit` will create
+    /// it and any missing parent directories.
+    #[arg(long, value_name = "PATH", value_hint = clap::ValueHint::FilePath)]
+    file: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+impl ConfigTargetArgs {
     fn edit_config_file(
         &self,
         ui: &Ui,
         command: &CommandHelper,
     ) -> Result<ConfigFile, CommandError> {
         let config_env = command.config_env();
         let config = command.raw_config();
-        let pick_one = |mut files: Vec<ConfigFile>, not_found_error: &str| {
-            if files.len() > 1 {
-                let mut choices = vec![];
-                let mut formatter = ui.stderr_formatter();
-                for (i, file) in files.iter().enumerate() {
-                    writeln!(formatter, "{}: {}", i + 1, file.path().display())?;
-                    choices.push((i + 1).to_string());
-                }
-                drop(formatter);
-                let index =
-                    ui.prompt_choice("Choose a config file (default 1)", &choices, Some(0))?;
-                return Ok(files[index].clone());
-            }
-            files.pop().ok_or_else(|| user_error(not_found_error))
+        let pick_first = |files: Vec<ConfigFile>, not_found_error: &str| {
+            files
+                .into_iter()
+                .next()
+                .ok_or_else(|| user_error(not_found_error))
         };
-        if self.user {
-            pick_one(
+        if let Some(file) = &self.file {
+            let path = command.cwd().join(file);
+            config_env.resolve_file_to_edit(ui, config, &path)
+        } else if self.user {
+            pick_first(
                 config_env.user_config_files(config)?,
                 "No user config path found to edit",
             )
         } else if self.repo {
-            pick_one(
+            pick_first(
                 config_env.repo_config_files(ui, config)?,
                 "No repo config path found to edit",
             )
         } else if self.workspace {
-            pick_one(
+            pick_first(
                 config_env.workspace_config_files(ui, config)?,
                 "No workspace config path found to edit",
             )
         } else {
-            panic!("No config_level provided")
+            panic!("No config_target provided")
         }
     }
 }

cli/src/commands/config/set.rs

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use jj_lib::config::ConfigValue;
 use jj_lib::repo::Repo as _;
 use tracing::instrument;
 
-use super::ConfigLevelArgs;
+use super::ConfigTargetArgs;
 use crate::cli_util::CommandHelper;
 use crate::cli_util::WorkspaceCommandHelper;
 use crate::command_error::CommandError;
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub struct ConfigSetArgs {
     value: ConfigValue,
 
     #[command(flatten)]
-    level: ConfigLevelArgs,
+    target: ConfigTargetArgs,
 }
 
 /// Denotes a type of author change
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ pub async fn cmd_config_set(
     command: &CommandHelper,
     args: &ConfigSetArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    let mut file = args.level.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
+    let mut file = args.target.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
 
-    // If the user is trying to change the author config, we should warn them that
-    // it won't affect the working copy author
+    // If the user is trying to change the author config, we should warn them
+    // that it won't affect the working copy author
     if args.name == ConfigNamePathBuf::from_iter(vec!["user", "name"]) {
         check_wc_author(ui, command, &args.value, AuthorChange::Name).await?;
     } else if args.name == ConfigNamePathBuf::from_iter(vec!["user", "email"]) {

cli/src/commands/config/unset.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use clap_complete::ArgValueCandidates;
 use jj_lib::config::ConfigNamePathBuf;
 use tracing::instrument;
 
-use super::ConfigLevelArgs;
+use super::ConfigTargetArgs;
 use crate::cli_util::CommandHelper;
 use crate::command_error::CommandError;
 use crate::command_error::user_error;
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ pub struct ConfigUnsetArgs {
     name: ConfigNamePathBuf,
 
     #[command(flatten)]
-    level: ConfigLevelArgs,
+    target: ConfigTargetArgs,
 }
 
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ pub async fn cmd_config_unset(
     command: &CommandHelper,
     args: &ConfigUnsetArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    let mut file = args.level.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
+    let mut file = args.target.edit_config_file(ui, command)?;
     let old_value = file
         .delete_value(&args.name)
         .map_err(|err| user_error_with_message(format!("Failed to unset {}", args.name), err))?;

cli/src/config.rs

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ use tracing::instrument;
 use crate::command_error::CommandError;
 use crate::command_error::config_error;
 use crate::command_error::config_error_with_message;
+use crate::command_error::user_error;
 use crate::ui::Ui;
 
 // TODO(#879): Consider generating entire schema dynamically vs. static file.
@@ -664,6 +665,78 @@ impl ConfigEnv {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Returns the configuration file at the specified `path` for modification.
+    ///
+    /// Validates that the path is a recognized Jujutsu configuration location
+    /// (such as a loaded layer, a user config path or file in `conf.d/`,
+    /// or a repo/workspace config path). If the file is already loaded in
+    /// `config`, its existing [`ConfigFile`] representation is reused;
+    /// otherwise, a new [`ConfigFile`] is initialized.
+    pub fn resolve_file_to_edit(
+        &self,
+        ui: &Ui,
+        config: &RawConfig,
+        path: &Path,
+    ) -> Result<ConfigFile, CommandError> {
+        let canonical_path = dunce::canonicalize(path).ok();
+        let matches_path = |p: &Path| p == path || Some(p) == canonical_path.as_deref();
+
+        // 1. Check if it matches an already loaded layer (user, system, repo,
+        //    workspace, --config-file, JJ_CONFIG, etc.)
+        for layer in config.as_ref().layers() {
+            if let Some(layer_path) = layer.path.as_ref()
+                && matches_path(layer_path)
+                && let Ok(file) = ConfigFile::from_layer(layer.clone())
+            {
+                return Ok(file);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // 2. Check repo config path (even if not yet created on disk)
+        if let Ok(Some(repo_path)) = self.repo_config_path(ui)
+            && matches_path(&repo_path)
+        {
+            if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+                create_dir_all(parent).ok();
+            }
+            return Ok(ConfigFile::load_or_empty(ConfigSource::Repo, path)?);
+        }
+
+        // 3. Check workspace config path (even if not yet created on disk)
+        if let Ok(Some(workspace_path)) = self.workspace_config_path(ui)
+            && matches_path(&workspace_path)
+        {
+            if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+                create_dir_all(parent).ok();
+            }
+            return Ok(ConfigFile::load_or_empty(
+                ConfigSource::Workspace,
+                path,
+            )?);
+        }
+
+        // 4. Check user config paths (e.g. ~/.config/jj/config.toml,
+        //    ~/.jjconfig.toml, or files in conf.d)
+        for user_path in self.user_config_paths() {
+            if matches_path(user_path) || is_file_in_config_dir(path, user_path) {
+                if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+                    create_dir_all(parent).ok();
+                }
+                return Ok(ConfigFile::load_or_empty(ConfigSource::User, path)?);
+            }
+        }
+
+        Err(user_error(format!(
+            "Configuration file '{}' is not a valid jj configuration file location",
+            path.display()
+        ))
+        .hinted(
+            "Valid config locations include user configs (`~/.config/jj/config.toml` or \
+             `conf.d/*.toml`), repo/workspace configs, or files loaded with the global flag \
+             `--config-file <PATH>`.",
+        ))
+    }
+
     /// Resolves conditional scopes within the current environment. Returns new
     /// resolved config.
     pub fn resolve_config(&self, config: &RawConfig) -> Result<StackedConfig, ConfigGetError> {
@@ -707,6 +780,22 @@ fn config_files_for(
     Ok(files)
 }
 
+fn is_file_in_config_dir(file_path: &Path, dir_path: &Path) -> bool {
+    if file_path.extension() != Some("toml".as_ref()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if dir_path.is_file() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let Some(parent) = file_path.parent() else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    if parent == dir_path {
+        return true;
+    }
+    dunce::canonicalize(parent).ok().as_deref() == Some(dir_path)
+}
+
 /// Initializes stacked config with the given `default_layers` and infallible
 /// sources.
 ///

cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 source: cli/tests/test_generate_md_cli_help.rs
 description: "AUTO-GENERATED FILE, DO NOT EDIT. This cli reference is generated by a test as an `insta` snapshot. MkDocs includes this snapshot from docs/cli-reference.md."
 ---
+
 <!-- BEGIN MARKDOWN-->
 
 # Command-Line Help for `jj`
@@ -773,7 +774,7 @@ Start an editor on a jj config file.
 
 Creates the file if it doesn't already exist regardless of what the editor does.
 
-**Usage:** `jj config edit <--user|--repo|--workspace>`
+**Usage:** `jj config edit <--user|--repo|--workspace|--file <PATH>>`
 
 **Command Alias:** `e`
 
@@ -782,6 +783,13 @@ Creates the file if it doesn't already exist regardless of what the editor does.
 * `--user` — Target the user-level config
 * `--repo` — Target the repo-level config
 * `--workspace` — Target the workspace-level config
+* `--file <PATH>` — Target the config file specified by the given path
+
+   The path must point to a valid configuration file location recognized by Jujutsu (such as a user/repo/workspace config, a file inside a `conf.d/` directory, or any file loaded via system configs, `$JJ_CONFIG`, or `--config-file`).
+
+   Unlike the global `--config-file` option (which loads an extra config file when running commands), this option specifies which file to inspect, edit, or modify on disk.
+
+   If the file does not exist, commands like `set` and `edit` will create it and any missing parent directories.
 
 
 
@@ -883,7 +891,7 @@ See `jj config edit` if you'd like to immediately edit a file.
 
 Update a config file to set the given option to a given value
 
-**Usage:** `jj config set <--user|--repo|--workspace> <NAME> <VALUE>`
+**Usage:** `jj config set <--user|--repo|--workspace|--file <PATH>> <NAME> <VALUE>`
 
 **Command Alias:** `s`
 
@@ -901,14 +909,21 @@ Update a config file to set the given option to a given value
 * `--user` — Target the user-level config
 * `--repo` — Target the repo-level config
 * `--workspace` — Target the workspace-level config
+* `--file <PATH>` — Target the config file specified by the given path
+
+   The path must point to a valid configuration file location recognized by Jujutsu (such as a user/repo/workspace config, a file inside a `conf.d/` directory, or any file loaded via system configs, `$JJ_CONFIG`, or `--config-file`).
+
+   Unlike the global `--config-file` option (which loads an extra config file when running commands), this option specifies which file to inspect, edit, or modify on disk.
+
+   If the file does not exist, commands like `set` and `edit` will create it and any missing parent directories.
 
 
 
 ## `jj config unset`
 
 Update a config file to unset the given option
 
-**Usage:** `jj config unset <--user|--repo|--workspace> <NAME>`
+**Usage:** `jj config unset <--user|--repo|--workspace|--file <PATH>> <NAME>`
 
 **Command Alias:** `u`
 
@@ -921,6 +936,13 @@ Update a config file to unset the given option
 * `--user` — Target the user-level config
 * `--repo` — Target the repo-level config
 * `--workspace` — Target the workspace-level config
+* `--file <PATH>` — Target the config file specified by the given path
+
+   The path must point to a valid configuration file location recognized by Jujutsu (such as a user/repo/workspace config, a file inside a `conf.d/` directory, or any file loaded via system configs, `$JJ_CONFIG`, or `--config-file`).
+
+   Unlike the global `--config-file` option (which loads an extra config file when running commands), this option specifies which file to inspect, edit, or modify on disk.
+
+   If the file does not exist, commands like `set` and `edit` will create it and any missing parent directories.