vuejs/vue-cli · error · Error

Couldn't parse inline options JSON: ${e.message}

Error message

Couldn't parse inline options JSON: ${e.message}

What it means

Thrown during `vue invoke` when the user passes inline options via the `--inlineOptions` (aliased as $inlineOptions) flag and the provided value is not valid JSON. The invoke command attempts JSON.parse on the string; on failure it wraps the parse error message and re-throws.

Source

Thrown at packages/@vue/cli/lib/invoke.js:66

      `Cannot resolve plugin ${chalk.yellow(pluginName)} from package.json. ` +
        `Did you forget to install it?`
    )
  }

  const pluginGenerator = loadModule(`${id}/generator`, context)
  if (!pluginGenerator) {
    throw new Error(`Plugin ${id} does not have a generator.`)
  }

  // resolve options if no command line options (other than --registry) are passed,
  // and the plugin contains a prompt module.
  // eslint-disable-next-line prefer-const
  let { registry, $inlineOptions, ...pluginOptions } = options
  if ($inlineOptions) {
    try {
      pluginOptions = JSON.parse($inlineOptions)
    } catch (e) {
      throw new Error(`Couldn't parse inline options JSON: ${e.message}`)
    }
  } else if (!Object.keys(pluginOptions).length) {
    let pluginPrompts = loadModule(`${id}/prompts`, context)
    if (pluginPrompts) {
      const prompt = inquirer.createPromptModule()

      if (typeof pluginPrompts === 'function') {
        pluginPrompts = pluginPrompts(pkg, prompt)
      }
      if (typeof pluginPrompts.getPrompts === 'function') {
        pluginPrompts = pluginPrompts.getPrompts(pkg, prompt)
      }
      pluginOptions = await prompt(pluginPrompts)
    }
  }

  const plugin = {
    id,

View on GitHub (pinned to 7eb93c169c)

Solutions

1. Use strict JSON syntax: double-quoted keys, double-quoted string values, no trailing commas.
2. Validate the JSON with a linter or `echo '<json>' | jq .` before running the command.
3. If options are complex, consider putting them in a file or using the interactive prompt instead.

Example fix

# before
$ vue invoke eslint --inlineOptions "{lintOn: 'save'}"
Error: Couldn't parse inline options JSON
# after
$ vue invoke eslint --inlineOptions '{"lintOn": "save"}'

function tryParseInlineOptions(str) {
  try {
    JSON.parse(str);
    return true;
  } catch (e) {
    return false;
  }
}
// before running the command:
if ($inlineOptions && !tryParseInlineOptions($inlineOptions)) {
  console.error('Inline options must be valid JSON. Use double quotes for keys and values.');
}

try {
  pluginOptions = JSON.parse($inlineOptions);
} catch (e) {
  // provide a more helpful message with the exact parse location
  throw new Error(`Invalid inline options JSON: ${e.message}. Ensure double-quoted keys/values and no trailing commas.`);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `vue invoke <plugin> --inlineOptions '{useConfigFiles: true}'` where the JSON has unquoted keys, trailing commas, single quotes, or other syntax errors. JavaScript object literals are not valid JSON.

Common situations: Developer writes a JS object literal instead of strict JSON (single quotes, unquoted keys, trailing commas). Copy-pasting from documentation that uses JS shorthand notation.

Related errors

• Make sure you define a value for the option ${options.set}
• Cannot resolve plugin ${pluginName} from package.json. Did y
• The package.json is malformed
• Expected string or integer value.
• Plugin ${id} does not have a generator.

AI-assisted analysis of vuejs/vue-cli@7eb93c169c (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c8cb699349224619. Report an issue: GitHub.