Add escape hatch completions to switch structural forms (#271)

When completing an empty value position (e.g., `runs-on: |`), add special
completions that let users switch to alternative structural forms:

- "(switch to list)" - restructures to `key:\n  - `
- "(switch to mapping)" - restructures to `key:\n  `

These help users escape "dead end" situations where the current form has
no valid completions but alternative forms are available in the schema.

languageservice/src/complete.test.ts

@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ describe("completion", () => {
     const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
 
     expect(result).not.toBeUndefined();
-    expect(result.length).toEqual(12);
+    // 12 runner labels + 2 escape hatches (switch to list, switch to full syntax)
+    expect(result.length).toEqual(14);
     const labels = result.map(x => x.label);
     expect(labels).toContain("macos-latest");
+    expect(labels).toContain("(switch to list)");
+    expect(labels).toContain("(switch to mapping)");
   });
 
   it("needs", async () => {
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ jobs:
   release:
     types: |`;
     const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+    // Expect string values plus escape hatch to switch to list form
     expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toEqual([
       "created",
       "deleted",
@@ -102,7 +106,8 @@ jobs:
       "prereleased",
       "published",
       "released",
-      "unpublished"
+      "unpublished",
+      "(switch to list)"
     ]);
   });
 
@@ -190,8 +195,11 @@ jobs:
     const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input), {valueProviderConfig: config});
 
     expect(result).not.toBeUndefined();
-    expect(result.length).toEqual(1);
+    // Custom value plus escape hatches for list and full syntax
+    expect(result.length).toEqual(3);
     expect(result[0].label).toEqual("my-custom-label");
+    expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toContain("(switch to list)");
+    expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toContain("(switch to mapping)");
   });
 
   it("custom value providers for sequences", async () => {
@@ -214,7 +222,7 @@ jobs:
 
   it("does not show mapping keys or parent sibling keys in Key mode", async () => {
     // At `container: |`, the scalar form is a string with no constants.
-    // Mapping keys should NOT be shown - users should use `container (full syntax)`.
+    // Mapping keys should NOT be shown inline - but escape hatch to full syntax IS shown.
     const input = `on: push
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -222,21 +230,21 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest`;
     const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
     expect(result).not.toBeUndefined();
-    // No completions because: scalar has no constants, mapping variant skipped in Key mode
-    expect(result.length).toEqual(0);
+    // Only escape hatch to full syntax (container has mapping form but no sequence)
+    expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toEqual(["(switch to mapping)"]);
   });
 
   it("does not show mapping keys in Key mode when structure is uncommitted", async () => {
     // At `concurrency: |`, user is in Key mode but hasn't committed to a structure.
-    // The scalar form is a string with no constants, so no completions.
-    // Mapping keys are NOT shown - users should use `concurrency (full syntax)` at parent level.
+    // The scalar form is a string with no constants, so no scalar completions.
+    // But escape hatch to full syntax IS shown as a way out.
     const input = `on: push
 jobs:
   build:
     concurrency: |`;
     const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
     expect(result).not.toBeUndefined();
-    expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toEqual(["(switch to mapping)"]);
   });
 
   it("job key", async () => {
@@ -691,4 +699,130 @@ jobs:
     expect(result.filter(x => x.label === "group")).toEqual([]);
     expect(result.filter(x => x.label === "labels")).toEqual([]);
   });
+
+  describe("escape hatch completions", () => {
+    it("runs-on shows switch to list and full syntax", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // Should have escape hatches at the end
+      const switchToList = result.find(x => x.label === "(switch to list)");
+      const switchToFull = result.find(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)");
+
+      expect(switchToList).toBeDefined();
+      expect(switchToFull).toBeDefined();
+
+      // Escape hatches should sort last
+      expect(switchToList!.sortText).toEqual("zzz_switch_1");
+      expect(switchToFull!.sortText).toEqual("zzz_switch_2");
+
+      // Escape hatches should have textEdit that restructures the YAML
+      const listEdit = switchToList!.textEdit as TextEdit;
+      const fullEdit = switchToFull!.textEdit as TextEdit;
+
+      expect(listEdit.newText).toEqual("runs-on:\n  - ");
+      expect(fullEdit.newText).toEqual("runs-on:\n  ");
+
+      // TextEdit range should cover from key start to cursor position
+      expect(listEdit.range.start).toEqual({line: 3, character: 4});
+      expect(fullEdit.range.start).toEqual({line: 3, character: 4});
+    });
+
+    it("permissions shows only switch to full syntax (no sequence form)", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+permissions: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // Should have full syntax escape hatch but NOT list (permissions has no sequence form)
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)")).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to list)")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("escape hatches are not shown when value is non-empty", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-|`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // User has started typing a scalar value, no escape hatches
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to list)")).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("escape hatches are not shown when inside a sequence", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on:
+      - |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // User is already in sequence form, no escape hatches
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to list)")).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("escape hatches are not shown when inside a mapping", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on:
+      group: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // User is in mapping form completing a value, no escape hatches for the parent
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to list)")).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("escape hatches ARE shown even when no scalar completions exist", async () => {
+      // concurrency: | has no scalar constants, but escape hatch provides a way out
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    concurrency: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      // Escape hatch to mapping should be available even with no scalar completions
+      expect(result.map(x => x.label)).toEqual(["(switch to mapping)"]);
+    });
+
+    it("pure mapping type (strategy) shows switch to mapping", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    strategy: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to mapping)")).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("pure sequence type (steps) shows switch to list", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    steps: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      expect(result.some(x => x.label === "(switch to list)")).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("selecting switch to list restructures YAML", async () => {
+      const input = `on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: |`;
+      const result = await complete(...getPositionFromCursor(input));
+
+      const switchToList = result.find(x => x.label === "(switch to list)");
+      const textEdit = switchToList!.textEdit as TextEdit;
+
+      // Applying this edit to "runs-on: " should produce "runs-on:\n  - "
+      expect(textEdit.newText).toEqual("runs-on:\n  - ");
+    });
+  });
 });

languageservice/src/complete.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import {complete as completeExpression, DescriptionDictionary} from "@actions/ex
 import {CompletionItem as ExpressionCompletionItem} from "@actions/expressions/completion";
 import {isBasicExpression, isSequence, isString} from "@actions/workflow-parser";
 import {ErrorPolicy} from "@actions/workflow-parser/model/convert";
+import {DefinitionType} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/schema/definition-type";
+import {OneOfDefinition} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/schema/one-of-definition";
 import {OPEN_EXPRESSION} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/template-constants";
 import {TemplateToken} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/tokens/index";
 import {MappingToken} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/tokens/mapping-token";
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@ import {TokenRange} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/tokens/token-range"
 import {TokenType} from "@actions/workflow-parser/templates/tokens/types";
 import {File} from "@actions/workflow-parser/workflows/file";
 import {FileProvider} from "@actions/workflow-parser/workflows/file-provider";
+import {getWorkflowSchema} from "@actions/workflow-parser/workflows/workflow-schema";
 import {Position, TextDocument} from "vscode-languageserver-textdocument";
 import {CompletionItem, CompletionItemKind, CompletionItemTag, Range, TextEdit} from "vscode-languageserver-types";
 import {ContextProviderConfig} from "./context-providers/config.js";
@@ -100,8 +103,17 @@ export async function complete(
 
   const values = await getValues(token, keyToken, parent, config?.valueProviderConfig, workflowContext, indentString);
 
+  // Add escape hatch completions when completing an empty scalar value for a one-of field.
+  // These provide a way out of "dead end" situations where no scalar completions exist
+  // but alternative structural forms (list, mapping) are available.
+  const escapeHatches = getEscapeHatchCompletions(token, keyToken, indentString, newPos);
+  values.push(...escapeHatches);
+
+  // Figure out what text to replace when the user picks a completion.
+  // For example, if they typed `runs-|` and pick `runs-on`, we need to replace `runs-`.
   let replaceRange: Range | undefined;
   if (token?.range) {
+    // Prefer the token's range since it accounts for YAML syntax like quotes
     replaceRange = mapRange(token.range);
   } else if (!token) {
     // Not a valid token, create a range from the current position
@@ -127,6 +139,16 @@ export async function complete(
   return values.map(value => {
     const newText = value.insertText || value.label;
 
+    // Escape hatches provide their own textEdit to restructure the YAML
+    let textEdit: TextEdit;
+    if (value.textEdit) {
+      textEdit = TextEdit.replace(value.textEdit.range, value.textEdit.newText);
+    } else if (replaceRange) {
+      textEdit = TextEdit.replace(replaceRange, newText);
+    } else {
+      textEdit = TextEdit.insert(position, newText);
+    }
+
     const item: CompletionItem = {
       label: value.label,
       detail: value.detail,
@@ -137,7 +159,7 @@ export async function complete(
         value: value.description
       },
       tags: value.deprecated ? [CompletionItemTag.Deprecated] : undefined,
-      textEdit: replaceRange ? TextEdit.replace(replaceRange, newText) : TextEdit.insert(position, newText)
+      textEdit
     };
 
     return item;
@@ -246,6 +268,112 @@ function getTokenStructure(token: TemplateToken | null): TokenStructure {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Generates escape hatch completions that allow switching from scalar form to
+ * alternative structural forms (sequence or mapping) when the value is empty.
+ *
+ * For example, at `runs-on: |`, this adds "(switch to list)" and "(switch to full syntax)"
+ * completions that restructure the YAML to `runs-on:\n  - |` or `runs-on:\n  |`.
+ *
+ * Only shown when:
+ * - Completing in value position (keyToken exists)
+ * - Value is empty (user hasn't committed to a structure yet)
+ * - Definition allows sequence or mapping structure
+ */
+function getEscapeHatchCompletions(
+  token: TemplateToken | null,
+  keyToken: TemplateToken | null,
+  indentation: string,
+  position: Position
+): Value[] {
+  // Only show escape hatches when value is empty
+  const tokenStructure = getTokenStructure(token);
+  if (tokenStructure !== undefined) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  // Need a key token with a definition
+  if (!keyToken?.definition) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  // Determine which structural types are available from the definition
+  const def = keyToken.definition;
+  const schema = getWorkflowSchema();
+  const buckets = {
+    sequence: false,
+    mapping: false
+  };
+
+  if (def instanceof OneOfDefinition) {
+    // OneOf: check each variant
+    for (const variantKey of def.oneOf) {
+      const variantDef = schema.definitions[variantKey];
+      if (variantDef) {
+        switch (variantDef.definitionType) {
+          case DefinitionType.Sequence:
+            buckets.sequence = true;
+            break;
+          case DefinitionType.Mapping:
+            buckets.mapping = true;
+            break;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    // Single definition type
+    switch (def.definitionType) {
+      case DefinitionType.Sequence:
+        buckets.sequence = true;
+        break;
+      case DefinitionType.Mapping:
+        buckets.mapping = true;
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  const results: Value[] = [];
+  const keyName = isString(keyToken) ? keyToken.value : "";
+  const keyRange = keyToken.range;
+
+  if (!keyRange || !keyName) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  // Calculate the range from key start to current position
+  // This covers "key: " so we can replace it with "key:\n  - " or "key:\n  "
+  const editRange = {
+    start: {line: keyRange.start.line - 1, character: keyRange.start.column - 1},
+    end: {line: position.line, character: position.character}
+  };
+
+  if (buckets.sequence) {
+    results.push({
+      label: "(switch to list)",
+      sortText: "zzz_switch_1",
+      filterText: keyName, // Allow filtering by key name
+      textEdit: {
+        range: editRange,
+        newText: `${keyName}:\n${indentation}- `
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (buckets.mapping) {
+    results.push({
+      label: "(switch to mapping)",
+      sortText: "zzz_switch_2",
+      filterText: keyName, // Allow filtering by key name
+      textEdit: {
+        range: editRange,
+        newText: `${keyName}:\n${indentation}`
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  return results;
+}
+
 /**
  * Collects values that are already present in the current context, so they can be
  * excluded from completion suggestions.

languageservice/src/value-providers/config.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ export interface Value {
 
   /** Sort text to control ordering, if not given `label` will be used for sorting */
   sortText?: string;
+
+  /** Custom text edit with specific range, overrides default range calculation */
+  textEdit?: {
+    range: {start: {line: number; character: number}; end: {line: number; character: number}};
+    newText: string;
+  };
 }
 
 export enum ValueProviderKind {