Troubleshooting & Common Gotchas

Known issues and solutions

Config not loading? Parser errors? Rules don't apply? These are fixable. Most issues stem from config syntax, plugin conflicts, or order-dependent extends.

Troubleshooting checklist

Step-by-step debugging for common issues.

# Issue 1: Config not found
eslint --print-config src/app.js | head -20

# Issue 2: Prettier conflicts ESLint
# Verify prettier is in extends array LAST
grep -A2 'extends' .eslintrc.json

# Issue 3: Rule not applying
DEBUG=eslint* eslint src/app.js

# Issue 4: Parser error
# Check parserOptions.ecmaVersion matches your code

# Issue 5: Plugin not loaded
eslint --print-config src/app.js | grep -A3 plugins

Output:

Use these commands to debug any ESLint issue

Start minimal, add gradually

If issues persist: start with eslint:recommended only, then add plugins one at a time. This isolates the problem.

Quick check

Quick check: If a rule isn't applying, what should you check first?

• Use eslint --print-config to see if the rule is active.
• Restart the editor.
• Delete .eslintrc.json and recreate it.