feat: Improve config error messages

lib/config/flat-config-schema.js

@@ -212,6 +212,22 @@ function assertIsObject(value) {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * The error type when there's an eslintrc-style options in a flat config.
+ */
+class IncompatibleKeyError extends Error {
+
+    /**
+     * @param {string} key The invalid key.
+     */
+    constructor(key) {
+        super("This appears to be in eslintrc format rather than flat config format.");
+        this.messageTemplate = "eslintrc-incompat";
+        this.messageData = { key };
+    }
+}
+
+
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Low-Level Schemas
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -438,11 +454,44 @@ const sourceTypeSchema = {
     }
 };
 
+/**
+ * Creates a schema that always throws an error. Useful for warning
+ * about eslintrc-style keys.
+ * @param {string} key The eslintrc key to create a schema for.
+ * @returns {ObjectPropertySchema} The schema.
+ */
+function createEslintrcErrorSchema(key) {
+    return {
+        merge: "replace",
+        validate() {
+            throw new IncompatibleKeyError(key);
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+const eslintrcKeys = [
+    "env",
+    "extends",
+    "globals",
+    "ignorePatterns",
+    "noInlineConfig",
+    "overrides",
+    "parser",
+    "parserOptions",
+    "reportUnusedDisableDirectives",
+    "root"
+];
+
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Full schema
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 exports.flatConfigSchema = {
+
+    // eslintrc-style keys that should always error
+    ...Object.fromEntries(eslintrcKeys.map(key => [key, createEslintrcErrorSchema(key)])),
+
+    // flat config keys
     settings: deepObjectAssignSchema,
     linterOptions: {
         schema: {

messages/eslintrc-incompat.js

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+"use strict";
+
+/* eslint consistent-return: 0 -- no default case */
+
+const messages = {
+
+    env: `
+A config object is using the "env" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "languageOptions.globals" to define global variables for your files.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#configuring-language-options
+`,
+
+    extends: `
+A config object is using the "extends" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Instead of "extends", you can include config objects that you'd like to extend from directly in the flat config array.
+
+Please see the following page for more information:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#predefined-configs
+`,
+
+    globals: `
+A config object is using the "globals" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "languageOptions.globals" to define global variables for your files.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#configuring-language-options
+`,
+
+    ignorePatterns: `
+A config object is using the "ignorePatterns" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "ignores" to specify files to ignore.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#ignoring-files
+`,
+
+    noInlineConfig: `
+A config object is using the "noInlineConfig" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "linterOptions.noInlineConfig" to specify files to ignore.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#linter-options
+`,
+
+    overrides: `
+A config object is using the "overrides" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config is an array that acts like the eslintrc "overrides" array.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#glob-based-configs
+`,
+
+    parser: `
+A config object is using the "parser" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "languageOptions.parser" to override the default parser.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#custom-parsers
+`,
+
+    parserOptions: `
+A config object is using the "parserOptions" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "languageOptions.parserOptions" to specify parser options.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#configuring-language-options
+`,
+
+    reportUnusedDisableDirectives: `
+A config object is using the "reportUnusedDisableDirectives" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat config uses "linterOptions.reportUnusedDisableDirectives" to specify files to ignore.
+
+Please see the following page for information on how to convert your config object into the correct format:
+https://eslint.org/docs/latest/use/configure/migration-guide#linter-options
+`,
+
+    root: `
+A config object is using the "root" key, which is not supported in flat config system.
+
+Flat configs always act as if they are the root config file, so this key can be safely removed.
+`
+};
+
+module.exports = function({ key }) {
+
+    return messages[key].trim();
+};

tests/lib/config/flat-config-array.js

@@ -1938,5 +1938,33 @@ describe("FlatConfigArray", () => {
 
         });
 
+        describe("Invalid Keys", () => {
+
+            [
+                "env",
+                "extends",
+                "globals",
+                "ignorePatterns",
+                "noInlineConfig",
+                "overrides",
+                "parser",
+                "parserOptions",
+                "reportUnusedDisableDirectives",
+                "root"
+            ].forEach(key => {
+
+                it(`should error when a ${key} key is found`, async () => {
+                    await assertInvalidConfig([
+                        {
+                            [key]: "foo"
+                        }
+                    ], `Key "${key}": This appears to be in eslintrc format rather than flat config format.`);
+
+                });
+            });
+
+
+        });
+
     });
 });

tests/lib/rule-tester/flat-rule-tester.js

@@ -1336,7 +1336,7 @@ describe("FlatRuleTester", () => {
                 ],
                 invalid: []
             });
-        }, /Unexpected key "env" found./u);
+        }, /Key "env": This appears to be in eslintrc format rather than flat config format/u);
     });
 
     it("should pass-through the tester config to the rule", () => {