jdx/mise · error

target differs from the managed content, use --force to remo

Error message

target differs from the managed content, use --force to remove it

What it means

At src/system/files.rs:2614 (inline-content planning in plan_expected_content), mise will remove a target without --force only when it is a regular file exactly matching the managed inline content. If the target exists (or is a symlink) but differs from that content, mise bails to avoid deleting user-modified data.

Source

Thrown at src/system/files.rs:2614

    } else {
        Ok(Some(UnapplyPlan {
            req,
            paths: paths.into_keys().collect(),
            cleanup_empty_dirs,
            conditional,
            clear_symlink_each_state,
        }))
    }
}

fn plan_inline_file(req: &FileRequest, paths: &mut IndexMap<PathBuf, ()>) -> Result<()> {
    if !req.target.is_symlink()
        && req.target.is_file()
        && file::read(&req.target)? == req.content.as_deref().expect("inline content").as_bytes()
    {
        paths.insert(req.target.clone(), ());
    } else if req.target.exists() || req.target.is_symlink() {
        bail!("target differs from the managed content, use --force to remove it");
    }
    Ok(())
}

fn plan_single_file(
    req: &FileRequest,
    opts: &UnapplyOpts,
    paths: &mut IndexMap<PathBuf, ()>,
) -> Result<()> {
    if !req.source.exists() && req.target.exists() && !opts.force {
        bail!("source is missing; use --force to remove the target");
    }
    if opts.force && (req.target.exists() || req.target.is_symlink()) {
        paths.insert(req.target.clone(), ());
    } else if req.source.exists() {
        plan_regular_file(&req.source, &req.target, false, paths)?;
    }
    Ok(())

View on GitHub (pinned to afd2eddd3a)

Solutions

1. Rerun unapply with --force to remove the modified target anyway
2. Back up the differing file, then rerun with --force
3. Compare contents (diff/cmp) to confirm the changes are disposable before forcing
4. Update the inline content in mise.toml if you intend to keep applying modified content

Example fix

# before
mise bootstrap dotfiles unapply
# error: target differs from the managed content, use --force to remove it

# after (after backing up)
cp ~/.gitignore ~/.gitignore.bak && mise bootstrap dotfiles unapply --force

if (fs.existsSync(entry.target) &&
    fs.readFileSync(entry.target).toString() !== entry.content) {
  console.warn(`${entry.target} was modified locally; unapply will need --force`);
}

function matchesManagedContent(entry) {
  try { return fs.readFileSync(entry.target).toString() === entry.content; }
  catch { return false; }
}

try {
  await unapply(plan);
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e).includes('target differs from the managed content')) {
    backup(entry.target);
    await unapply({ ...plan, force: true });
  } else throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: `mise bootstrap dotfiles unapply` on an entry with inline content where the target exists but is a symlink, or a file whose bytes differ from req.content, and opts.force is false.

Common situations: The user edited the managed file locally; another tool rewrote it; or a symlink was placed at the target pointing elsewhere after the entry was applied.

Related errors

• {} differs from its managed source; use --force to remove it
• source is missing; use --force to remove the target
• cannot verify {}; use --force to remove it
• failed rename: {} -> {}: {err}
• {err} dotfiles: rollback failed: {rollback_err}

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@afd2eddd3a (2026-09-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1ad82e33ce786976. Report an issue: GitHub.