Fix rules lint/prepare/check failing with "cortex address is required"

pkg/commands/rules.go

@@ -248,10 +248,10 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) setup(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 	)
 
 	// Apply config file defaults
-	if err := ApplyConfigDefaults(&r.ClientConfig); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	return ApplyConfigDefaults(&r.ClientConfig)
+}
 
+func (r *RuleCommand) setupClient() error {
 	// Validate required fields (they may come from config file)
 	if r.ClientConfig.Address == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cortex address is required (use --address flag, CORTEX_ADDRESS env var, or config file)")
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) setupFiles() error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) listRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	rules, err := r.cli.ListRules(context.Background(), "")
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, client.ErrResourceNotFound) {
@@ -359,6 +362,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) listRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) printRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	rules, err := r.cli.ListRules(context.Background(), "")
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, client.ErrResourceNotFound) {
@@ -373,6 +379,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) printRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) getRuleGroup(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	group, err := r.cli.GetRuleGroup(context.Background(), r.Namespace, r.RuleGroup)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, client.ErrResourceNotFound) {
@@ -387,6 +396,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) getRuleGroup(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) deleteRuleGroup(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	err := r.cli.DeleteRuleGroup(context.Background(), r.Namespace, r.RuleGroup)
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, client.ErrResourceNotFound) {
 		log.Fatalf("unable to delete rule group from cortex, %v", err)
@@ -395,6 +407,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) deleteRuleGroup(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) deleteRuleNamespace(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	err := r.cli.DeleteRuleNamespace(context.Background(), r.Namespace)
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, client.ErrResourceNotFound) {
 		log.Fatalf("unable to delete namespace from cortex, %v", err)
@@ -403,6 +418,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) deleteRuleNamespace(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) loadRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	nss, err := rules.ParseFiles(r.RuleFilesList, r.getValidationScheme())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "load operation unsuccessful, unable to parse rules files")
@@ -460,6 +478,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) shouldCheckNamespace(namespace string) bool {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) diffRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	err := r.setupFiles()
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "diff operation unsuccessful, unable to load rules files")
@@ -523,6 +544,9 @@ func (r *RuleCommand) diffRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
 }
 
 func (r *RuleCommand) syncRules(_ *kingpin.ParseContext) error {
+	if err := r.setupClient(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	err := r.setupFiles()
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "sync operation unsuccessful, unable to load rules files")

pkg/commands/rules_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/rulefmt"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/cortexproject/cortex-tools/pkg/rules/rwrulefmt"
 )
@@ -61,3 +62,21 @@ func TestCheckDuplicates(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSetupClientRequiresAddress verifies that setupClient returns an error when
+// no address is configured, while setup (the PreAction) does not.
+// This ensures local-only commands (lint, prepare, check) work without a Cortex address.
+func TestSetupClientRequiresAddress(t *testing.T) {
+	r := &RuleCommand{}
+
+	// setupClient should fail when no address is set.
+	err := r.setupClient()
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "cortex address is required")
+
+	// setupClient should fail when address is set but tenant ID is missing.
+	r.ClientConfig.Address = "http://cortex:9009"
+	err = r.setupClient()
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "tenant ID is required")
+}