apache/pulsar · error · ParameterException

Cannot parse source-config

Error message

Cannot parse source-config

What it means

CmdSources.processArguments failed while parsing the --source-config YAML/JSON string into a config map; the string is malformed, so it cannot be applied to the SourceConfig and a ParameterException wraps the cause.

Source

Thrown at pulsar-client-tools/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/admin/cli/CmdSources.java:486

                resources.setRam(ram);
            }

            if (disk != null) {
                if (resources == null) {
                    resources = new Resources();
                }
                resources.setDisk(disk);
            }
            if (resources != null) {
                sourceConfig.setResources(resources);
            }

            try {
                if (null != sourceConfigString) {
                    sourceConfig.setConfigs(parseConfigs(sourceConfigString));
                }
            } catch (Exception ex) {
                throw new ParameterException("Cannot parse source-config", ex);
            }

            if (null != batchSourceConfigString) {
                sourceConfig.setBatchSourceConfig(parseBatchSourceConfigs(batchSourceConfigString));
            }

            if (customRuntimeOptions != null) {
                sourceConfig.setCustomRuntimeOptions(customRuntimeOptions);
            }

            if (secretsString != null) {
                Type type = new TypeToken<Map<String, Object>>() {}.getType();
                Map<String, Object> secretsMap = new Gson().fromJson(secretsString, type);
                if (secretsMap == null) {
                    secretsMap = Collections.emptyMap();
                }
                sourceConfig.setSecrets(secretsMap);
            }

View on GitHub (pinned to 820761864e)

Solutions

1. Fix the source-config string to be valid JSON/YAML
2. Quote the argument properly in the shell

Example fix

// before
--source-config 'bootstrap.servers=localhost:9092'
// after
--source-config '{"bootstrap.servers":"localhost:9092"}'

const cfg = JSON.parse(sourceConfigString); // throws before invoking CLI if malformed
if (typeof cfg !== 'object' || Array.isArray(cfg)) throw new Error('source-config must be a JSON object');

const isJsonObject = (s) => { try { return !Array.isArray(JSON.parse(s)) && typeof JSON.parse(s) === 'object'; } catch { return false; } };

try {
  // run sources create with --source-config
} catch (e) {
  if (e.message.includes('Cannot parse source-config')) { /* switch to --source-config-file */ }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Passing `--source-config` with invalid JSON such as `key=value` pairs, YAML text, or JSON broken by shell quote stripping, e.g. `--source-config '{bootstrap.servers: localhost}'`.

Common situations: Bash removing inner double quotes so the JSON becomes invalid; using a properties-style string instead of a JSON object; trailing commas.

Related errors

• Cannot parse sink-config
• Need to specify a configuration file for broker
• No configuration file for Bookie
• Metadata store address argument is required (--metadata-stor
• Config file not specified. Please use -c, --config-file or -

AI-assisted analysis of apache/pulsar@820761864e (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/45f6feef1698f13e. Report an issue: GitHub.