Custom error handler

command.go

@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ type Command struct {
 	// versionTemplate is the version template defined by user.
 	versionTemplate string
 
+	// errHandler is a function that a user can define to handle errors in a
+	// custom way. The function will be called only if the error is received and
+	// SilenceErrors isn't set. By default, it prints the error with a prefix
+	// on standard error stream.
+	errHandler func(err error)
 	// errPrefix is the error message prefix defined by user.
 	errPrefix string
 
@@ -357,6 +362,12 @@ func (c *Command) SetVersionTemplate(s string) {
 	c.versionTemplate = s
 }
 
+// SetErrHandler sets a custom error handler to be used. The function will be
+// called only if the error is received and SilenceErrors isn't set.
+func (c *Command) SetErrHandler(fn func(err error)) {
+	c.errHandler = fn
+}
+
 // SetErrPrefix sets error message prefix to be used. Application can use it to set custom prefix.
 func (c *Command) SetErrPrefix(s string) {
 	c.errPrefix = s
@@ -611,6 +622,31 @@ func (c *Command) VersionTemplate() string {
 `
 }
 
+// ErrHandler return the error handler for the command.
+func (c *Command) ErrHandler() func(err error) {
+	if handler := c.errHandlerOrNil(); handler != nil {
+		return handler
+	}
+
+	return c.defaultErrHandler
+}
+
+func (c *Command) errHandlerOrNil() func(err error) {
+	if c.errHandler != nil {
+		return c.errHandler
+	}
+
+	if c.HasParent() {
+		return c.parent.errHandlerOrNil()
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Command) defaultErrHandler(err error) {
+	c.PrintErrln(c.ErrPrefix(), err.Error())
+}
+
 // ErrPrefix return error message prefix for the command
 func (c *Command) ErrPrefix() string {
 	if c.errPrefix != "" {
@@ -1098,7 +1134,7 @@ func (c *Command) ExecuteC() (cmd *Command, err error) {
 			c = cmd
 		}
 		if !c.SilenceErrors {
-			c.PrintErrln(c.ErrPrefix(), err.Error())
+			c.ErrHandler()(err)
 			c.PrintErrf("Run '%v --help' for usage.\n", c.CommandPath())
 		}
 		return c, err
@@ -1127,7 +1163,7 @@ func (c *Command) ExecuteC() (cmd *Command, err error) {
 		// If root command has SilenceErrors flagged,
 		// all subcommands should respect it
 		if !cmd.SilenceErrors && !c.SilenceErrors {
-			c.PrintErrln(cmd.ErrPrefix(), err.Error())
+			cmd.ErrHandler()(err)
 		}
 
 		// If root command has SilenceUsage flagged,

command_test.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package cobra
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -2839,3 +2840,58 @@ func TestUnknownFlagShouldReturnSameErrorRegardlessOfArgPosition(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestErrHandler(t *testing.T) {
+	type testErrHandlerTestCase struct {
+		name string
+		root bool
+		sub  bool
+	}
+	testCases := []testErrHandlerTestCase{
+		{"CustomOnRootAndSub", true, true},
+		{"CustomOnRoot", true, false},
+		{"CustomOnSub", false, true},
+		{"DefaultOnBoth", false, false},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			want := errors.New("expected")
+			root := &Command{
+				SilenceUsage: true,
+			}
+			sub := &Command{
+				Use:          "sub",
+				SilenceUsage: true,
+				RunE: func(cmd *Command, args []string) error {
+					return fmt.Errorf("%w: foo", want)
+				},
+			}
+			root.AddCommand(sub)
+			called := false
+			handler := func(got error) {
+				called = true
+				if !errors.Is(got, want) {
+					t.Errorf("error missmatch,\nwant = %#v\n got = %#v",
+						want, got)
+				}
+			}
+			if tc.root {
+				root.SetErrHandler(handler)
+			}
+			if tc.sub {
+				sub.SetErrHandler(handler)
+			}
+			output, got := executeCommand(root, "sub")
+			if (tc.root || tc.sub) && !called {
+				t.Error("expecting the custom error handler be called")
+			}
+			if !errors.Is(got, want) {
+				t.Errorf("error missmatch,\nwant = %#v\n got = %#v",
+					want, got)
+			}
+			if (tc.root || tc.sub) && output != "" {
+				t.Error("unexpected output: ", output)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}