fix: use appropriate exit codes

README.md

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     -   [Utilities](#utilities)
 -   [Getting started](#getting-started)
 -   [webpack CLI Scaffolds](#webpack-cli-scaffolds)
+-   [Exit codes and their meanings](#exit-codes-and-their-meanings)
 -   [Contributing and Internal Documentation](#contributing-and-internal-documentation)
 -   [Open Collective](#open-collective)
 
@@ -96,6 +97,14 @@ With v3 of webpack CLI, we introduced scaffolding as an integral part of the CLI
 
 You can read more about [Scaffolding](https://webpack.js.org/guides/scaffolding), learn [How to compose a webpack-scaffold?](https://webpack.js.org/contribute/writing-a-scaffold) or generate one with [webpack-scaffold-starter](https://github.com/rishabh3112/webpack-scaffold-starter).
 
+## Exit codes and their meanings
+
+| Exit Code | Description                                        |
+| --------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
+| `0`       | Success                                            |
+| `1`       | Warnings/Errors from webpack                       |
+| `2`       | Configuration/options problem or an internal error |
+
 ## Contributing and Internal Documentation
 
 The webpack family welcomes any contributor, small or big. We are happy to elaborate, guide you through the source code and find issues you might want to work on! To get started have a look at our [documentation on contributing](./.github/CONTRIBUTING.md).

packages/package-utils/__tests__/packageUtils.test.ts

@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ describe('packageUtils', () => {
             // runCommand should not be called, because the installation is not confirmed
             expect((runCommand as jest.Mock).mock.calls.length).toEqual(0);
             expect((prompt as jest.Mock).mock.calls[0][0][0].message).toMatch(/Would you like to install test-package\?/);
-            expect(process.exitCode).toEqual(-1);
+            expect(process.exitCode).toEqual(2);
         });
     });
 });

packages/package-utils/src/packageUtils.ts

@@ -98,5 +98,5 @@ export async function promptInstallation(packageName: string, preMessage?: Funct
         return exports.packageExists(packageName);
     }
     // eslint-disable-next-line require-atomic-updates
-    process.exitCode = -1;
+    process.exitCode = 2;
 }

packages/utils/src/modify-config-helper.ts

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export function modifyHelperUtil(
     } catch (err) {
         console.error(red('\nYour package.json was incorrectly formatted.\n'));
         Error.stackTraceLimit = 0;
-        process.exitCode = -1;
+        process.exitCode = 2;
     }
 
     env.registerStub(generator, generatorName);
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export function modifyHelperUtil(
                     red("\nPlease make sure to use 'this.config.set('configuration', this.configuration);' at the end of the generator.\n"),
                 );
                 Error.stackTraceLimit = 0;
-                process.exitCode = -1;
+                process.exitCode = 2;
             }
             try {
                 // the configuration stored in .yo-rc.json should already be in the correct
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export function modifyHelperUtil(
                     red('\nYour yeoman configuration file (.yo-rc.json) was incorrectly formatted. Deleting it may fix the problem.\n'),
                 );
                 Error.stackTraceLimit = 0;
-                process.exitCode = -1;
+                process.exitCode = 2;
             }
 
             const transformConfig = Object.assign(

packages/utils/src/npm-packages-exists.ts

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export function npmPackagesExists(pkg: string[]): void {
             .catch((err: Error): void => {
                 console.error(err.stack || err);
                 // eslint-disable-next-line no-process-exit
-                process.exit(0);
+                process.exit(2);
             })
             .then(resolvePackagesIfReady);
     });

packages/webpack-cli/lib/groups/HelpGroup.js

@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ class HelpGroup {
                 }
             } catch (e) {
                 logger.error('Error: External package not found.');
-                process.exitCode = 1;
+                process.exit(2);
             }
         }
 
         if (commandsUsed.length > 1) {
             logger.error('You provided multiple commands. Please use only one command at a time.\n');
-            process.exit(1);
+            process.exit(2);
         }
 
         if (invalidArgs.length > 0) {

packages/webpack-cli/lib/utils/process-log.js

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const logger = require('./logger');
 
 function logErrorAndExit(error) {
     if (error && error.stack) logger.error(error.stack);
-    process.exit(1);
+    process.exit(error.exitCode);
 }
 
 process.on('uncaughtException', (error) => {