go-delve/delve · error

unknown argument %q to exit

Error message

unknown argument %q to exit

What it means

The `exit` command accepts only a small set of options (`-c` to continue, `-d` to detach without killing, or none). Any other argument reaches the default case and is rejected with this message; ExitRequestError is never returned, so the debugger session does not exit.

Source

Thrown at pkg/terminal/command.go:3182

		for _, bp := range bps {
			if bp.ID >= 0 {
				hasUserBreakpoints = true
				break
			}
		}
		if hasUserBreakpoints {
			yes, _ := yesno(t.line, "There are breakpoints set, do you wish to quit and continue without clearing breakpoints? [Y/n] ", "yes")
			if !yes {
				return nil
			}
		}
		t.quitContinue = true
	case "-d":
		t.detachNoKill = true
	case "":
		// no arguments
	default:
		return fmt.Errorf("unknown argument %q to exit", args)
	}
	return ExitRequestError{}
}

func getBreakpointByIDOrName(t *Term, arg string) (*api.Breakpoint, error) {
	if id, err := strconv.Atoi(arg); err == nil {
		return t.client.GetBreakpoint(id)
	}
	return t.client.GetBreakpointByName(arg)
}

func (c *Commands) onCmd(t *Term, ctx callContext, argstr string) error {
	args := config.Split2PartsBySpace(argstr)

	if len(args) < 2 {
		return errors.New("not enough arguments")
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to a23773e6c3)

Solutions

1. Use bare `exit` to quit
2. Use `exit -c` to continue the program then exit
3. Use `exit -d` to detach without killing the process
4. Check spelling/case of the flag: only -c and -d are valid

Example fix

// before
exit now
// after
exit -d

switch arg {
case "", "-c", "-d":
    // proceed
default:
    return fmt.Errorf("unsupported exit arg %q", arg)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Typing `exit now`, `exit -q`, or any flag other than `-c`/`-d` at the Delve prompt.

Common situations: Habit from other CLIs (`quit!`, `exit 0`); typos like `exit -C` (case-sensitive flags); passing a shell-style argument after exit.

Related errors

• command not available
• you must specify a thread
• too many arguments to goroutine
• not enough arguments
• Invalid frame %d

AI-assisted analysis of go-delve/delve@a23773e6c3 (2026-08-31). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2ab62bd347b8b94a. Report an issue: GitHub.