rubocop 1.71.1 → 1.91.0

data/lib/rubocop/options.rb

@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ module RuboCop
                       'root of the project. RuboCop will use this path to determine which ' \
                       'cops are enabled (via eg. Include/Exclude), and so that certain cops ' \
                       'like Naming/FileName can be checked.'
-    EXITING_OPTIONS = %i[version verbose_version show_cops show_docs_url lsp].freeze
+    EXITING_OPTIONS = %i[
+      version verbose_version show_cops list_enabled_cops_for show_docs_url lsp mcp
+    ].freeze
     DEFAULT_MAXIMUM_EXCLUSION_ITEMS = 15
 
     def initialize
@@ -31,6 +33,8 @@ module RuboCop
 
       define_options.parse!(args)
 
+      imply_autocorrect_for_diff
+
       @validator.validate_compatibility
 
       if @options[:stdin]
@@ -49,7 +53,16 @@ module RuboCop
 
     private
 
-    # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize
+    # `--diff` is a dry run of autocorrection, so it turns autocorrection on
+    # unless the user already picked a mode with `-a`, `-A` or `-x`.
+    def imply_autocorrect_for_diff
+      return unless @options[:diff] && !@options[:autocorrect]
+
+      @options[:safe_autocorrect] = true
+      @options[:autocorrect] = true
+    end
+
+    # rubocop:disable-next Metrics/AbcSize
     def define_options
       OptionParser.new do |opts|
         opts.banner = rainbow.wrap('Usage: rubocop [options] [file1, file2, ...]').bright
@@ -57,6 +70,7 @@ module RuboCop
         add_check_options(opts)
         add_cache_options(opts)
         add_lsp_option(opts)
+        add_mcp_option(opts)
         add_server_options(opts)
         add_output_options(opts)
         add_autocorrection_options(opts)
@@ -68,7 +82,6 @@ module RuboCop
         add_profile_options(opts) if RUBY_ENGINE == 'ruby' && !Platform.windows?
       end
     end
-    # rubocop:enable Metrics/AbcSize
 
     def add_check_options(opts) # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize, Metrics/MethodLength
       section(opts, 'Basic Options') do # rubocop:disable Metrics/BlockLength
@@ -88,12 +101,19 @@ module RuboCop
         option(opts, '-F', '--fail-fast')
         option(opts, '--disable-pending-cops')
         option(opts, '--enable-pending-cops')
+        option(opts, '--disable-all-cops')
+        option(opts, '--enable-all-cops')
+        option(opts, '--[no-]preview')
         option(opts, '--ignore-disable-comments')
         option(opts, '--force-exclusion')
         option(opts, '--only-recognized-file-types')
         option(opts, '--ignore-parent-exclusion')
         option(opts, '--ignore-unrecognized-cops')
         option(opts, '--force-default-config')
+        option(opts, '--changed [REVISION]') do |revision|
+          @options[:changed] = revision || ChangedFiles::DEFAULT_REVISION
+          @validator.validate_changed_revision(revision)
+        end
         option(opts, '-s', '--stdin FILE')
         option(opts, '--editor-mode')
         option(opts, '-P', '--[no-]parallel')
@@ -127,10 +147,11 @@ module RuboCop
         option(opts, '--display-only-fail-level-offenses')
         option(opts, '--display-only-correctable')
         option(opts, '--display-only-safe-correctable')
+        option(opts, '--display-suppressed')
       end
     end
 
-    # rubocop:todo Naming/InclusiveLanguage
+    # rubocop:todo Naming/InclusiveLanguage -- `--auto-correct` is the deprecated flag name
     # the autocorrect command-line arguments map to the autocorrect @options values like so:
     #                            :fix_layout  :autocorrect  :safe_autocorrect  :autocorrect_all
     # -x, --fix-layout           true         true          -                  -
@@ -156,6 +177,8 @@ module RuboCop
         end
 
         option(opts, '--disable-uncorrectable')
+
+        option(opts, '--diff')
       end
     end
     # rubocop:enable Naming/InclusiveLanguage
@@ -168,6 +191,8 @@ module RuboCop
           @options.replace(ConfigRegeneration.new.options.merge(@options))
         end
 
+        option(opts, '--report-unused-todo-entries')
+
         option(opts, '--exclude-limit COUNT') { @validator.validate_exclude_limit_option }
         option(opts, '--no-exclude-limit')
 
@@ -215,6 +240,12 @@ module RuboCop
       end
     end
 
+    def add_mcp_option(opts)
+      section(opts, 'MCP Option') do
+        option(opts, '--mcp')
+      end
+    end
+
     def add_server_options(opts)
       section(opts, 'Server Options') do
         option(opts, '--[no-]server')
@@ -229,6 +260,7 @@ module RuboCop
     def add_additional_modes(opts)
       section(opts, 'Additional Modes') do
         option(opts, '-L', '--list-target-files')
+        option(opts, '--list-enabled-cops-for PATH')
         option(opts, '--show-cops [COP1,COP2,...]') do |list|
           @options[:show_cops] = list.nil? ? [] : list.split(',')
         end
@@ -243,6 +275,7 @@ module RuboCop
         option(opts, '--init')
         option(opts, '-c', '--config FILE')
         option(opts, '-d', '--debug')
+        option(opts, '--plugin FILE') { |f| plugin_feature(f) }
         option(opts, '-r', '--require FILE') { |f| require_feature(f) }
         option(opts, '--[no-]color')
         option(opts, '-v', '--version')
@@ -299,11 +332,25 @@ module RuboCop
       long_opt[2..].sub('[no-]', '').sub(/ .*/, '').tr('-', '_').gsub(/[\[\]]/, '').to_sym
     end
 
-    def require_feature(file)
-      # If any features were added on the CLI from `--require`,
+    def plugin_feature(file)
+      # If any features were added on the CLI from `--plugin`,
       # add them to the config.
-      ConfigLoader.add_loaded_features(file)
-      require file
+      ConfigLoaderResolver.new.resolve_plugins(Config.new, file)
+    end
+
+    def require_feature(file)
+      if Plugin.plugin_capable?(file)
+        # NOTE: Compatibility for before plugins style.
+        warn Rainbow(<<~MESSAGE).yellow
+          #{file} gem supports plugin, use `--plugin` instead of `--require`.
+        MESSAGE
+        plugin_feature(file)
+      else
+        # If any features were added on the CLI from `--require`,
+        # add them to the config.
+        require file
+        ConfigLoader.add_loaded_features(file)
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -355,7 +402,7 @@ module RuboCop
       %i[only except].each { |opt| OptionsValidator.validate_cop_list(@options[opt]) }
     end
 
-    # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize
+    # rubocop:disable-next Metrics/AbcSize
     def validate_compatibility # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
       if only_includes_redundant_disable?
         raise OptionArgumentError, 'Lint/RedundantCopDisableDirective cannot be used with --only.'
@@ -371,13 +418,15 @@ module RuboCop
       validate_display_only_failed_and_display_only_correctable
       validate_display_only_correctable_and_autocorrect
       validate_lsp_and_editor_mode
+      validate_diff
+      validate_changed_and_stdin
+      validate_enable_all_cops_and_disable_all_cops
       disable_parallel_when_invalid_option_combo
 
       return if incompatible_options.size <= 1
 
       raise OptionArgumentError, "Incompatible cli options: #{incompatible_options.inspect}"
     end
-    # rubocop:enable Metrics/AbcSize
 
     def validate_auto_gen_config
       return if @options.key?(:auto_gen_config)
@@ -397,7 +446,7 @@ module RuboCop
       return if @options[:format] == 'junit'
 
       raise OptionArgumentError,
-            format('--display-only-failed can only be used together with --format junit.')
+            '--display-only-failed can only be used together with --format junit.'
     end
 
     def validate_display_only_correctable_and_autocorrect
@@ -415,14 +464,34 @@ module RuboCop
                 !@options.key?(:display_only_safe_correctable)
 
       raise OptionArgumentError,
-            format('--display-only-failed cannot be used together with other display options.')
+            '--display-only-failed cannot be used together with other display options.'
+    end
+
+    # `--diff` promises not to write anything, and `--auto-gen-config` exists to
+    # write a file.
+    def validate_diff
+      return unless @options.key?(:diff) && @options.key?(:auto_gen_config)
+
+      raise OptionArgumentError, '--diff cannot be used with --auto-gen-config.'
+    end
+
+    def validate_changed_and_stdin
+      return unless @options.key?(:changed) && @options.key?(:stdin)
+
+      raise OptionArgumentError, '--changed cannot be used with --stdin.'
     end
 
     def validate_lsp_and_editor_mode
       return if !@options.key?(:lsp) || !@options.key?(:editor_mode)
 
+      raise OptionArgumentError, 'Do not specify `--editor-mode` as it is redundant in `--lsp`.'
+    end
+
+    def validate_enable_all_cops_and_disable_all_cops
+      return if !@options.key?(:enable_all_cops) || !@options.key?(:disable_all_cops)
+
       raise OptionArgumentError,
-            format('Do not specify `--editor-mode` as it is redundant in `--lsp`.')
+            '--enable-all-cops cannot be used together with --disable-all-cops.'
     end
 
     def validate_autocorrect
@@ -436,7 +505,7 @@ module RuboCop
       return unless @options.key?(:disable_uncorrectable)
 
       raise OptionArgumentError,
-            format('--disable-uncorrectable can only be used together with --autocorrect.')
+            '--disable-uncorrectable can only be used together with --autocorrect.'
     end
 
     def disable_parallel_when_invalid_option_combo
@@ -453,8 +522,7 @@ module RuboCop
     end
 
     def invalid_arguments_for_parallel
-      [('--auto-gen-config' if @options.key?(:auto_gen_config)),
-       ('-F/--fail-fast'    if @options.key?(:fail_fast)),
+      [('-F/--fail-fast'    if @options.key?(:fail_fast)),
        ('--profile'         if @options[:profile]),
        ('--memory'          if @options[:memory]),
        ('--cache false'     if @options > { cache: 'false' })].compact
@@ -477,6 +545,17 @@ module RuboCop
       @incompatible_options ||= @options.keys & Options::EXITING_OPTIONS
     end
 
+    # OptionParser hands `--changed lib/` the path as the revision, which is a
+    # natural thing to type, so point at the fix rather than at git's error.
+    def validate_changed_revision(revision)
+      return unless revision && File.exist?(revision)
+
+      raise OptionArgumentError,
+            "--changed takes a git revision, but `#{revision}` is a path. Write the revision " \
+            "as `--changed=#{revision}` if that is really what you meant, or drop it to " \
+            'compare against HEAD.'
+    end
+
     def validate_exclude_limit_option
       return if /^\d+$/.match?(@options[:exclude_limit])
 
@@ -494,7 +573,7 @@ module RuboCop
 
   # This module contains help texts for command line options.
   # @api private
-  # rubocop:disable Metrics/ModuleLength
+  # rubocop:disable-next Metrics/ModuleLength
   module OptionsHelp
     MAX_EXCL = RuboCop::Options::DEFAULT_MAXIMUM_EXCLUSION_ITEMS.to_s
     FORMATTER_OPTION_LIST = RuboCop::Formatter::FormatterSet::BUILTIN_FORMATTERS_FOR_KEYS.keys
@@ -504,6 +583,7 @@ module RuboCop
       only_guide_cops:                  ['Run only cops for rules that link to a',
                                          'style guide.'],
       except:                           'Exclude the given cop(s).',
+      plugin:                           'Load a RuboCop plugin.',
       require:                          'Require Ruby file.',
       config:                           'Specify configuration file.',
       auto_gen_config:                  ['Generate a configuration file acting as a',
@@ -511,6 +591,8 @@ module RuboCop
       regenerate_todo:                  ['Regenerate the TODO configuration file using',
                                          'the last configuration. If there is no existing',
                                          'TODO file, acts like --auto-gen-config.'],
+      report_unused_todo_entries:       ['Also report TODO configuration file entries that',
+                                         'are no longer needed, and fail if any are found.'],
       offense_counts:                   ['Include offense counts in configuration',
                                          'file generated by --auto-gen-config.',
                                          'Default is true.'],
@@ -535,6 +617,10 @@ module RuboCop
       disable_uncorrectable:            ['Used with --autocorrect to annotate any',
                                          'offenses that do not support autocorrect',
                                          'with `rubocop:todo` comments.'],
+      diff:                             ['Print a unified diff of what autocorrection',
+                                         'would change, without writing any files.',
+                                         'Turns on safe autocorrection unless a mode',
+                                         'was already given with -a, -A or -x.'],
       no_exclude_limit:                 ['Do not set the limit for how many files to exclude.'],
       force_exclusion:                  ['Any files excluded by `Exclude` in configuration',
                                          'files will be excluded, even if given explicitly',
@@ -542,11 +628,15 @@ module RuboCop
       only_recognized_file_types:       ['Inspect files given on the command line only if',
                                          'they are listed in `AllCops/Include` parameters',
                                          'of user configuration or default configuration.'],
-      ignore_disable_comments:          ['Run cops even when they are disabled locally',
-                                         'by a `rubocop:disable` directive.'],
+      ignore_disable_comments:          ['Report offenses even if they have been manually disabled',
+                                         'with a `rubocop:disable` or `rubocop:todo` directive.'],
       ignore_parent_exclusion:          ['Prevent from inheriting `AllCops/Exclude` from',
                                          'parent folders.'],
       ignore_unrecognized_cops:         ['Ignore unrecognized cops or departments in the config.'],
+      changed:                          ['Inspect only the files that differ from a git',
+                                         'revision, defaulting to HEAD. Untracked files',
+                                         'count as changed. Pass a revision with',
+                                         '`--changed=REVISION`.'],
       force_default_config:             ['Use default configuration even if configuration',
                                          'files are present in the directory tree.'],
       format:                           ['Choose an output formatter. This option',
@@ -561,6 +651,7 @@ module RuboCop
                                          'specified --format, or the default format',
                                          'if no format is specified.'],
       fail_level:                       ['Minimum severity for exit with error code.',
+                                         'Overrides `AllCops: FailLevel` in the configuration.',
                                          '  [A] autocorrect',
                                          '  [I] info',
                                          '  [R] refactor',
@@ -577,7 +668,9 @@ module RuboCop
       display_only_correctable:         ['Only output correctable offense messages.'],
       display_only_safe_correctable:    ['Only output safe-correctable offense messages',
                                          'when combined with --display-only-correctable.'],
-      show_cops:                        ['Shows the given cops, or all cops by',
+      display_suppressed:               ['Also output offenses suppressed by directive',
+                                         'comments. They do not affect the exit code.'],
+      show_cops:                        ['Show the given cops, or all cops by',
                                          'default, and their configurations for the',
                                          'current directory.',
                                          'You can use `*` as a wildcard.'],
@@ -597,8 +690,20 @@ module RuboCop
       display_cop_names:                ['Display cop names in offense messages.',
                                          'Default is true.'],
       disable_pending_cops:             'Run without pending cops.',
+      disable_all_cops:                 ['Run with all cops disabled by default,',
+                                         'except `Lint/Syntax`. Overrides',
+                                         '`AllCops/EnabledByDefault` and',
+                                         '`AllCops/DisabledByDefault` in config files.'],
       display_style_guide:              'Display style guide URLs in offense messages.',
       enable_pending_cops:              'Run with pending cops.',
+      preview:                          ['Opt in to unstable behavior: cops that are',
+                                         '`Enabled: preview`, and changes to existing',
+                                         'cops that are not the default yet.',
+                                         'Overrides `AllCops: Preview`.'],
+      enable_all_cops:                  ['Run with all cops enabled, including those',
+                                         'disabled by default. Overrides',
+                                         '`AllCops/EnabledByDefault` and',
+                                         '`AllCops/DisabledByDefault` in config files.'],
       extra_details:                    'Display extra details in offense messages.',
       lint:                             'Run only lint cops.',
       safe:                             'Run only safe cops.',
@@ -606,6 +711,8 @@ module RuboCop
                                          'autocorrected source. This is especially useful',
                                          'when combined with --autocorrect and --stdin.'],
       list_target_files:                'List all files RuboCop will inspect.',
+      list_enabled_cops_for:            ['List which cops will inspect a given file or',
+                                         'directory.'],
       autocorrect:                      'Autocorrect offenses (only when it\'s safe).',
       auto_correct:                     '(same, deprecated)',
       safe_auto_correct:                '(same, deprecated)',
@@ -636,6 +743,8 @@ module RuboCop
       server_status:                    'Show server status.',
       no_detach:                        'Run the server process in the foreground.',
       lsp:                              'Start a language server listening on STDIN.',
+      mcp:                              ['Start an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that',
+                                         'communicates over stdio.'],
       raise_cop_error:                  ['Raise cop-related errors with cause and location.',
                                          'This is used to prevent cops from failing silently.',
                                          'Default is false.'],
@@ -643,5 +752,4 @@ module RuboCop
       memory:                           'Profile rubocop memory usage.'
     }.freeze
   end
-  # rubocop:enable Metrics/ModuleLength
 end

data/lib/rubocop/path_util.rb

@@ -10,7 +10,19 @@ module RuboCop
 
     module_function
 
-    def relative_path(path, base_dir = Dir.pwd)
+    # Returns the current working directory, cached for the duration of a run.
+    # Dir.pwd is a syscall; caching it avoids repeated overhead since RuboCop
+    # never changes the working directory during a run.
+    def pwd
+      @pwd ||= Dir.pwd
+    end
+
+    # Reset the cached pwd. Only needed in tests that use Dir.chdir.
+    def reset_pwd
+      @pwd = nil
+    end
+
+    def relative_path(path, base_dir = PathUtil.pwd)
       PathUtil.relative_paths_cache[base_dir][path] ||=
         # Optimization for the common case where path begins with the base
         # dir. Just cut off the first part.
@@ -28,7 +40,11 @@ module RuboCop
         end
     end
 
-    SMART_PATH_CACHE = {} # rubocop:disable Style/MutableConstant
+    def remote_file?(uri)
+      uri.start_with?('http://', 'https://')
+    end
+
+    SMART_PATH_CACHE = {} # rubocop:disable Style/MutableConstant -- a cache, written to at runtime
     private_constant :SMART_PATH_CACHE
 
     def smart_path(path)
@@ -37,7 +53,7 @@ module RuboCop
           path.uri.to_s
         else
           # Ideally, we calculate this relative to the project root.
-          base_dir = Dir.pwd
+          base_dir = PathUtil.pwd
 
           if path.start_with? base_dir
             relative_path(path, base_dir)
@@ -47,7 +63,7 @@ module RuboCop
         end
     end
 
-    # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength, Metrics/CyclomaticComplexity, Metrics/PerceivedComplexity
+    # rubocop:disable-next Metrics/MethodLength, Metrics/CyclomaticComplexity, Metrics/PerceivedComplexity
     def match_path?(pattern, path)
       case pattern
       when String
@@ -73,7 +89,6 @@ module RuboCop
         end
       end
     end
-    # rubocop:enable Metrics/MethodLength, Metrics/CyclomaticComplexity, Metrics/PerceivedComplexity
 
     # Returns true for an absolute Unix or Windows path.
     def absolute?(path)

data/lib/rubocop/pending_cops_reporter.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module RuboCop
+  # Reports information about pending cops that are not explicitly configured.
+  #
+  # This class is responsible for displaying warnings when new cops have been added to RuboCop
+  # but have not yet been enabled or disabled in the user's configuration.
+  # It provides a centralized way to determine whether such warnings should be shown,
+  # based on global flags or configuration settings.
+  class PendingCopsReporter
+    class << self
+      PENDING_BANNER = <<~BANNER
+        The following cops were added to RuboCop, but are not configured. Please set Enabled to either `true` or `false` in your `.rubocop.yml` file.
+
+        Please also note that you can opt-in to new cops by default by adding this to your config:
+          AllCops:
+            NewCops: enable
+      BANNER
+
+      attr_accessor :disable_pending_cops, :enable_pending_cops
+
+      def warn_if_needed(config)
+        return if disable_pending_cops || enable_pending_cops
+
+        pending_cops = pending_cops_only_qualified(config.pending_cops)
+        warn_on_pending_cops(pending_cops) unless pending_cops.empty?
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      def pending_cops_only_qualified(pending_cops)
+        pending_cops.select { |cop| Cop::Registry.qualified_cop?(cop.name) }
+      end
+
+      def warn_on_pending_cops(pending_cops)
+        warn Rainbow(PENDING_BANNER).yellow
+
+        pending_cops.each { |cop| warn_pending_cop cop }
+
+        warn Rainbow('For more information: https://docs.rubocop.org/rubocop/versioning.html').yellow
+      end
+
+      def warn_pending_cop(cop)
+        version = cop.metadata['VersionAdded'] || 'N/A'
+
+        warn Rainbow("#{cop.name}: # new in #{version}").yellow
+        warn Rainbow('  Enabled: true').yellow
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end

data/lib/rubocop/plugin/configuration_integrator.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'lint_roller/context'
+require_relative 'not_supported_error'
+
+module RuboCop
+  module Plugin
+    # A class for integrating plugin configurations into RuboCop.
+    # Handles configuration merging, validation, and compatibility for plugins.
+    # @api private
+    class ConfigurationIntegrator
+      class << self
+        def integrate_plugins_into_rubocop_config(rubocop_config, plugins)
+          default_config = ConfigLoader.default_configuration
+          runner_context = create_context(rubocop_config)
+
+          validate_plugins!(plugins, runner_context)
+
+          plugin_config = combine_rubocop_configs(default_config, runner_context, plugins).to_h
+
+          merge_plugin_config_into_all_cops!(default_config, plugin_config)
+          merge_plugin_config_into_default_config!(default_config, plugin_config)
+        end
+
+        private
+
+        def create_context(rubocop_config)
+          LintRoller::Context.new(
+            runner: :rubocop,
+            runner_version: Version.version,
+            engine: :rubocop,
+            engine_version: Version.version,
+            target_ruby_version: rubocop_config.target_ruby_version
+          )
+        end
+
+        def validate_plugins!(plugins, runner_context)
+          unsupported_plugins = plugins.reject { |plugin| plugin.supported?(runner_context) }
+          return if unsupported_plugins.none?
+
+          raise Plugin::NotSupportedError, unsupported_plugins
+        end
+
+        def combine_rubocop_configs(default_config, runner_context, plugins)
+          fake_out_rubocop_default_configuration(default_config) do |fake_config|
+            all_cop_keys_configured_by_plugins = []
+
+            plugins.reduce(fake_config) do |combined_config, plugin|
+              RuboCop::ConfigLoader.instance_variable_set(:@default_configuration, combined_config)
+
+              print 'Plugin ' if ConfigLoader.debug
+
+              plugin_config, plugin_config_path = load_plugin_rubocop_config(plugin, runner_context)
+
+              plugin_config['AllCops'], all_cop_keys_configured_by_plugins = merge_all_cop_settings(
+                combined_config['AllCops'], plugin_config['AllCops'],
+                all_cop_keys_configured_by_plugins
+              )
+
+              plugin_config.make_excludes_absolute
+
+              # `unset_nil: false` keeps `AllCops` keys declared with a nil value by a plugin
+              # (e.g. `TargetRailsVersion: ~` of rubocop-rails); `merge_all_cop_settings` above
+              # carries such keys into each subsequent plugin's config, where `unset_nil: true`
+              # would delete them from the combined configuration.
+              ConfigLoader.merge_with_default(plugin_config, plugin_config_path, unset_nil: false)
+            end
+          end
+        end
+
+        def merge_plugin_config_into_all_cops!(rubocop_config, plugin_config)
+          rubocop_config['AllCops'].merge!(plugin_config['AllCops'])
+        end
+
+        def merge_plugin_config_into_default_config!(default_config, plugin_config)
+          plugin_config.each do |key, value|
+            default_config[key] = if default_config[key].is_a?(Hash)
+                                    resolver.merge(default_config[key], value)
+                                  else
+                                    value
+                                  end
+          end
+        end
+
+        def fake_out_rubocop_default_configuration(default_config)
+          orig_default_config = ConfigLoader.instance_variable_get(:@default_configuration)
+
+          result = yield default_config
+
+          ConfigLoader.instance_variable_set(:@default_configuration, orig_default_config)
+
+          result
+        end
+
+        # rubocop:disable-next Metrics/AbcSize
+        def load_plugin_rubocop_config(plugin, runner_context)
+          rules = plugin.rules(runner_context)
+
+          case rules.type
+          when :path
+            [ConfigLoader.load_file(rules.value, check: false), rules.value]
+          when :object
+            path = plugin.method(:rules).source_location[0]
+            [Config.create(rules.value, path, check: true), path]
+          when :error
+            plugin_name = plugin.about&.name || plugin.inspect
+            error_message = rules.value.respond_to?(:message) ? rules.value.message : rules.value
+
+            raise "Plugin `#{plugin_name}' failed to load with error: #{error_message}"
+          end
+        end
+
+        # This is how we ensure "first-in wins": plugins can override AllCops settings that are
+        # set by RuboCop's default configuration, but once a plugin sets an AllCop setting, they
+        # have exclusive first-in-wins rights to that setting.
+        #
+        # The one exception to this are array fields, because we don't want to
+        # overwrite the AllCops defaults but rather munge the arrays (`existing |
+        # new`) to allow plugins to add to the array, for example Include and
+        # Exclude paths and patterns.
+        def merge_all_cop_settings(existing_all_cops, new_all_cops, already_configured_keys)
+          return [existing_all_cops, already_configured_keys] unless new_all_cops.is_a?(Hash)
+
+          combined_all_cops = existing_all_cops.dup
+          combined_configured_keys = already_configured_keys.dup
+
+          new_all_cops.each do |key, value|
+            if combined_all_cops[key].is_a?(Array) && value.is_a?(Array)
+              combined_all_cops[key] |= value
+              combined_configured_keys |= [key]
+            elsif !combined_configured_keys.include?(key)
+              combined_all_cops[key] = value
+              combined_configured_keys << key
+            end
+          end
+
+          [combined_all_cops, combined_configured_keys]
+        end
+
+        def resolver
+          @resolver ||= ConfigLoaderResolver.new
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end

data/lib/rubocop/plugin/load_error.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module RuboCop
+  module Plugin
+    # An exception raised when a plugin fails to load.
+    # @api private
+    class LoadError < Error
+      def initialize(plugin_name)
+        super
+
+        @plugin_name = plugin_name
+      end
+
+      def message
+        <<~MESSAGE
+          Failed to load plugin `#{@plugin_name}` because the corresponding plugin class could not be determined for instantiation.
+          Try upgrading it first (e.g., `bundle update #{@plugin_name}`).
+          If `#{@plugin_name}` is not yet a plugin, use `require: #{@plugin_name}` instead of `plugins: #{@plugin_name}` in your configuration.
+
+          For further assistance, check with the developer regarding the following points:
+          https://docs.rubocop.org/rubocop/plugin_migration_guide.html
+        MESSAGE
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end