test: drop no-op resolve_json monkeypatching

tests/AGENTS.md

@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ The suite is hermetic by construction (`tests/conftest.py` + `pyproject.toml` `[
 
 Lessons that cost iterations getting the patch-coverage and mutation tail gates green:
 
+- **Control a command's output shape with the real `--json` flag, never by patching
+  `output.resolve_json`.** `resolve_json` is now just `return explicit` (it no longer
+  auto-enables JSON off a tty), so a test wanting human output simply omits `--json`
+  (the suite's default) and one wanting machine output passes `--json` to `runner.invoke`.
+  A `monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", …)` is therefore a no-op that
+  bypasses the real argscan→`json_option`→`resolve_json` path — don't add one.
 - **A boolean literal/default survives the mutation gate unless a test asserts the
   difference between its two values**, not just that the line ran. `json_mode=False` passed
   to `output.emit`, or `quiet=False` on `output.status`, get mutated to `True` — kill them by

tests/test_account_command.py

@@ -21,13 +21,8 @@ def _login_result(*, json_mode=False):
     )
 
 
-def _human(monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
-
-
-def test_balance_formats_dollars(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_balance_formats_dollars(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     mocker.patch(
         "aai_cli.commands.account.ams.get_balance",
         autospec=True,
@@ -89,9 +84,8 @@ def fake_usage(jwt, start, end, window):
     assert data["usage_items"][0]["line_items"][0]["price"] == 1250.0
 
 
-def test_usage_renders_table_human(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_renders_table_human(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -194,9 +188,8 @@ def test_usage_models_format_windows_and_line_items():
     assert _window({"line_items": [{"name": "free", "price": 0.0}]}).breakdown == ""
 
 
-def test_usage_human_renders_breakdown(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_human_renders_breakdown(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -216,9 +209,8 @@ def test_usage_human_renders_breakdown(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "minutes: $10.00" in result.output
 
 
-def test_usage_human_summarizes_empty_range(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_human_summarizes_empty_range(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     mocker.patch(
         "aai_cli.commands.account.ams.get_usage", autospec=True, return_value={"usage_items": []}
     )
@@ -227,9 +219,8 @@ def test_usage_human_summarizes_empty_range(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "No usage windows returned" in result.output
 
 
-def test_usage_human_hides_zero_windows_by_default(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_human_hides_zero_windows_by_default(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -257,9 +248,8 @@ def test_usage_human_hides_zero_windows_by_default(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "Use --include-zero to show them." in result.output
 
 
-def test_usage_human_can_include_zero_windows(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_human_can_include_zero_windows(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -278,9 +268,8 @@ def test_usage_human_can_include_zero_windows(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "No usage in this range" not in result.output
 
 
-def test_usage_all_is_a_back_compat_alias_for_include_zero(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_all_is_a_back_compat_alias_for_include_zero(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -297,9 +286,8 @@ def test_usage_all_is_a_back_compat_alias_for_include_zero(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "2026-01-01" in result.output
 
 
-def test_usage_human_summarizes_all_zero_range(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_usage_human_summarizes_all_zero_range(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "usage_items": [
             {
@@ -355,9 +343,8 @@ def _no_login(**_kwargs):
     get_usage.assert_not_called()
 
 
-def test_limits_renders_services(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_limits_renders_services(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     mocker.patch(
         "aai_cli.commands.account.ams.get_rate_limits",
         autospec=True,
@@ -368,9 +355,8 @@ def test_limits_renders_services(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "transcript" in result.output and "200" in result.output
 
 
-def test_limits_human_summarizes_empty(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_limits_human_summarizes_empty(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     # The AMS endpoint returns an empty array when no custom rate limits are
     # configured; show a clear message instead of a bare header-only table.
     mocker.patch(

tests/test_agent_command.py

@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@ def fake_run_session(api_key, *, renderer, player, mic, config):
 
 def test_agent_headphones_notice_in_human_mode(monkeypatch):
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_live")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.agent._exec.run_session", lambda *a, **k: None)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["agent"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -212,7 +211,6 @@ def test_agent_file_source_with_device_exits_2(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
 
 def test_agent_file_source_no_headphones_notice(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_live")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.agent._exec.FileSource", lambda src: "filesrc")
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.agent._exec.run_session", lambda *a, **k: None)
     wav = tmp_path / "say.wav"
@@ -224,7 +222,6 @@ def test_agent_file_source_no_headphones_notice(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
 
 def test_agent_file_source_no_start_talking_notice(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_live")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.agent._exec.FileSource", lambda src: "filesrc")
 
     def fake_run_session(api_key, *, renderer, player, mic, config):
@@ -241,7 +238,6 @@ def fake_run_session(api_key, *, renderer, player, mic, config):
 
 def test_agent_mic_shows_start_talking_notice(monkeypatch):
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_live")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
 
     # Avoid opening real audio hardware; the renderer is what we're testing.
     class FakeDuplex:
@@ -320,7 +316,6 @@ def test_agent_headphones_notice_routes_to_stderr(monkeypatch):
     # `assembly agent | head` must not eat the advisory as transcript data: in the
     # default human mode the notice goes to stderr, stdout stays transcript-only.
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_live")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.agent._exec.run_session", lambda *a, **k: None)
     result = _invoke_split(["agent"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0

tests/test_audit_command.py

@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ def _login_result(*, json_mode=False):
     )
 
 
-def _human(monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
-
-
 def test_audit_renders_rows(mocker):
     _auth()
     payload = {
@@ -67,9 +63,8 @@ def test_audit_passes_filters(mocker):
     )
 
 
-def test_audit_human_mode_renders_table(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_audit_human_mode_renders_table(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "data": [
             {
@@ -117,9 +112,8 @@ def test_audit_helpers_format_edge_cases():
     assert audit._audit_rows({"data": "bad"}) == []
 
 
-def test_audit_human_empty_result(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_audit_human_empty_result(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     mocker.patch(
         "aai_cli.commands.audit.ams.list_audit_logs", autospec=True, return_value={"data": []}
     )
@@ -128,9 +122,8 @@ def test_audit_human_empty_result(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "No audit events found" in result.output
 
 
-def test_audit_can_include_login_events(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_audit_can_include_login_events(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "data": [
             {
@@ -151,9 +144,8 @@ def test_audit_can_include_login_events(monkeypatch, mocker):
     assert "Hidden:" not in result.output
 
 
-def test_audit_summarizes_all_login_rows(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_audit_summarizes_all_login_rows(mocker):
     _auth()
-    _human(monkeypatch)
     payload = {
         "data": [
             {

tests/test_config_command.py

@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ def test_config_list_json_is_the_full_settings_object():
     }
 
 
-def test_config_list_human_render_shows_rows_and_hint(monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
+def test_config_list_human_render_shows_rows_and_hint():
     config.set_api_key("staging", "sk_2")
     config.set_profile_env("staging", "sandbox000")
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["config", "list"])

tests/test_doctor.py

@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ def test_doctor_no_keyring_recommends_env_var(healthy, monkeypatch):
     assert "no usable OS keyring" in api["detail"]
 
 
-def test_doctor_success_suggests_trying_transcribe(healthy, monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
+def test_doctor_success_suggests_trying_transcribe(healthy):
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["doctor"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
     assert "assembly transcribe --sample" in result.output
@@ -315,8 +314,7 @@ def test_render_omits_profile_line_when_only_one_key_is_present() -> None:
     assert "profile:" not in text
 
 
-def test_doctor_human_output_shows_profile_and_environment(healthy, monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
+def test_doctor_human_output_shows_profile_and_environment(healthy):
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["doctor"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
     assert "profile: default" in result.output

tests/test_init_command.py

@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ def test_init_appears_in_help():
 def test_init_prints_cli_banner_in_human_mode(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # Vercel-style header at the top of an interactive run (human output only).
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["init", TEMPLATE, "x", "--no-install"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
     # Decoration goes to stderr (data → stdout), so a piped stdout never sees it.
@@ -155,7 +154,6 @@ def test_init_banner_skipped_on_error_only_runs(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # The banner prints only after validation passes: a pure error run (unknown
     # template) stays undecorated like the sibling commands, and stdout stays empty.
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["init", "nope", "x", "--no-install"])
     assert result.exit_code == 1
     assert "AssemblyAI CLI" not in result.stderr
@@ -165,7 +163,6 @@ def test_init_banner_skipped_on_error_only_runs(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 def test_init_banner_skipped_on_target_conflict_error(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # Target validation failures are error-only runs too: no banner.
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     assert runner.invoke(app, ["init", TEMPLATE, "myapp", "--no-install"]).exit_code == 0
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["init", TEMPLATE, "myapp", "--no-install"])
     assert result.exit_code == 1
@@ -363,9 +360,6 @@ def test_init_launches_when_key_present(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # Key present + install succeeds -> the server is launched and the browser opens.
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
     monkeypatch.setenv("ASSEMBLYAI_API_KEY", "sk-real-key")
-    monkeypatch.setattr(
-        "aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False
-    )  # exercise human banner
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         "aai_cli.init.runner.run_setup",
         lambda *a, **k: subprocess.CompletedProcess([], 0, "ok", ""),

tests/test_init_force_and_report.py

@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ def test_init_force_warns_existing_files_are_overwritten(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # --force overlays the template onto a non-empty target; the run must say so
     # (on stderr) instead of silently clobbering files.
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: False)
     assert runner.invoke(app, ["init", TEMPLATE, "myapp", "--no-install"]).exit_code == 0
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["init", TEMPLATE, "myapp", "--no-install", "--force"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0

tests/test_keys.py

@@ -36,9 +36,8 @@ def test_keys_list_flattens_tokens(mocker):
     assert "sk_abcdef1234" not in result.output  # api key is masked
 
 
-def test_keys_list_renders_table_human(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_keys_list_renders_table_human(mocker):
     _auth()
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
     projects = [
         {
             "project": {"id": 1, "name": "Default"},
@@ -161,7 +160,6 @@ def test_keys_list_renders_human_table(mocker):
             ],
         }
     ]
-    mocker.patch("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", autospec=True, return_value=False)
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.keys.ams.list_projects", autospec=True, return_value=projects)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["keys", "list"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -184,9 +182,8 @@ def test_keys_create_rejects_empty_project_list(mocker):
     assert "dashboard" in result.output
 
 
-def test_keys_list_empty_shows_human_empty_state(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_keys_list_empty_shows_human_empty_state(mocker):
     _auth()
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
     # A project with no tokens yields no rows -> a friendly empty state, not a bare header.
     projects = [{"project": {"id": 1, "name": "Default"}, "tokens": []}]
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.keys.ams.list_projects", autospec=True, return_value=projects)

tests/test_login.py

@@ -58,9 +58,8 @@ def test_whoami_reports_authenticated(mocker):
     assert data["api_key"].startswith("sk_") and "…" in data["api_key"]
 
 
-def test_whoami_human_render_shows_detail_rows(monkeypatch, mocker):
+def test_whoami_human_render_shows_detail_rows(mocker):
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_1234567890")
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key", autospec=True, return_value=True)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["whoami"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -355,7 +354,6 @@ def test_whoami_renders_human_table_reachable(mocker):
     # a reachable status, and the account/session rows.
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_1234567890")
     config.set_session("default", session_jwt="j", session_token="t", account_id=77)
-    mocker.patch("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", autospec=True, return_value=False)
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key", autospec=True, return_value=True)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["whoami"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -372,7 +370,6 @@ def test_whoami_renders_human_table_rejected_key(mocker):
     # account/session "none" fallbacks (the em-dash placeholder). A rejected key
     # is a failed preflight: the status still renders, but the exit code is 4.
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_1234567890")
-    mocker.patch("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", autospec=True, return_value=False)
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key", autospec=True, return_value=False)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["whoami"])
     assert result.exit_code == 4

tests/test_login_guards.py

@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@ def test_whoami_network_failure_still_renders_table(mocker):
 
     config.set_api_key("default", "sk_1234567890")
     config.set_session("default", session_jwt="j", session_token="t", account_id=77)
-    mocker.patch("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", autospec=True, return_value=False)
     mocker.patch(
         "aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key",
         autospec=True,

tests/test_login_with_key.py

@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ def test_with_api_key_reads_stdin_and_stores(mocker):
     assert payload["api_key_only"] is True  # no AMS session from a key-only login
 
 
-def test_with_api_key_human_mode_mentions_account_command_limit(mocker, monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
+def test_with_api_key_human_mode_mentions_account_command_limit(mocker):
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key", autospec=True, return_value=True)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["login", "--with-api-key"], input="sk_piped\n")
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -71,8 +70,7 @@ def test_api_key_and_with_api_key_conflict(mocker):
     assert config.get_api_key("default") is None
 
 
-def test_api_key_flag_warns_toward_stdin_form(mocker, monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.output.resolve_json", lambda *, explicit: explicit)
+def test_api_key_flag_warns_toward_stdin_form(mocker):
     mocker.patch("aai_cli.commands.login.client.validate_key", autospec=True, return_value=True)
     result = runner.invoke(app, ["login", "--api-key", "sk_flag"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0