feat(config): add validation.on-create and validation.on-sync config options (bd-t7jq)

Add .beads/config.yaml support for template validation settings:
- validation.on-create: warn|error|none (default: none)
- validation.on-sync: warn|error|none (default: none)

When set to "warn", issues missing required sections (based on type) show
warnings but operations proceed. When set to "error", operations fail.

Implementation:
- Add validation keys to YamlOnlyKeys in yaml_config.go
- Add defaults in config.go
- Wire up bd create to check validation.on-create config
- Wire up bd sync to run validation before export
- Add tests for config loading
- Update CONFIG.md documentation

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

cmd/bd/create.go

@@ -166,12 +166,26 @@ var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			estimatedMinutes = &est
 		}
 
-		// Validate template if --validate flag is set
+		// Validate template based on --validate flag or config
 		validateTemplate, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("validate")
 		if validateTemplate {
+			// Explicit --validate flag: fail on error
 			if err := validation.ValidateTemplate(types.IssueType(issueType), description); err != nil {
 				FatalError("%v", err)
 			}
+		} else {
+			// Check validation.on-create config (bd-t7jq)
+			validationMode := config.GetString("validation.on-create")
+			if validationMode == "error" || validationMode == "warn" {
+				if err := validation.ValidateTemplate(types.IssueType(issueType), description); err != nil {
+					if validationMode == "error" {
+						FatalError("%v", err)
+					} else {
+						// warn mode: print warning but proceed
+						fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s %v\n", ui.RenderWarn("⚠"), err)
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Use global jsonOutput set by PersistentPreRun

cmd/bd/sync.go

@@ -287,6 +287,11 @@ Use --merge to merge the sync branch back to main branch.`,
 					}
 				}
 
+				// Template validation before export (bd-t7jq)
+				if err := validateOpenIssuesForSync(ctx); err != nil {
+					FatalError("%v", err)
+				}
+
 				fmt.Println("→ Exporting pending changes to JSONL...")
 				if err := exportToJSONL(ctx, jsonlPath); err != nil {
 					FatalError("exporting: %v", err)

cmd/bd/sync_export.go

@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ import (
 	"slices"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/config"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/rpc"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/types"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/ui"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/validation"
 )
 
 // exportToJSONL exports the database to JSONL format
@@ -179,3 +182,63 @@ func exportToJSONL(ctx context.Context, jsonlPath string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// validateOpenIssuesForSync validates all open issues against their templates
+// before export, based on the validation.on-sync config setting.
+// Returns an error if validation.on-sync is "error" and issues fail validation.
+// Prints warnings if validation.on-sync is "warn".
+// Does nothing if validation.on-sync is "none" (default).
+func validateOpenIssuesForSync(ctx context.Context) error {
+	validationMode := config.GetString("validation.on-sync")
+	if validationMode == "none" || validationMode == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Ensure store is active
+	if err := ensureStoreActive(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize store for validation: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Get all issues (excluding tombstones) and filter to open ones
+	allIssues, err := store.SearchIssues(ctx, "", types.IssueFilter{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get issues for validation: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Filter to only open issues (not closed, not tombstones)
+	var issues []*types.Issue
+	for _, issue := range allIssues {
+		if issue.Status != types.StatusClosed && issue.Status != types.StatusTombstone {
+			issues = append(issues, issue)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Validate each issue
+	var warnings []string
+	for _, issue := range issues {
+		if err := validation.LintIssue(issue); err != nil {
+			warnings = append(warnings, fmt.Sprintf("%s: %v", issue.ID, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(warnings) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Report based on mode
+	if validationMode == "error" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s Validation failed for %d issue(s):\n", ui.RenderFail("✗"), len(warnings))
+		for _, w := range warnings {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  - %s\n", w)
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("template validation failed: %d issues missing required sections (set validation.on-sync: none or warn to proceed)", len(warnings))
+	}
+
+	// warn mode: print warnings but proceed
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s Validation warnings for %d issue(s):\n", ui.RenderWarn("⚠"), len(warnings))
+	for _, w := range warnings {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  - %s\n", w)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}

docs/CONFIG.md

@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Tool-level settings you can configure:
 | `no-auto-import` | `--no-auto-import` | `BD_NO_AUTO_IMPORT` | `false` | Disable auto JSONL import |
 | `no-push` | `--no-push` | `BD_NO_PUSH` | `false` | Skip pushing to remote in bd sync |
 | `create.require-description` | - | `BD_CREATE_REQUIRE_DESCRIPTION` | `false` | Require description when creating issues |
+| `validation.on-create` | - | `BD_VALIDATION_ON_CREATE` | `none` | Template validation on create: `none`, `warn`, `error` |
+| `validation.on-sync` | - | `BD_VALIDATION_ON_SYNC` | `none` | Template validation before sync: `none`, `warn`, `error` |
 | `git.author` | - | `BD_GIT_AUTHOR` | (none) | Override commit author for beads commits |
 | `git.no-gpg-sign` | - | `BD_GIT_NO_GPG_SIGN` | `false` | Disable GPG signing for beads commits |
 | `directory.labels` | - | - | (none) | Map directories to labels for automatic filtering |
@@ -81,6 +83,13 @@ flush-debounce: 15s
 create:
   require-description: true
 
+# Template validation settings (bd-t7jq)
+# Validates that issues include required sections based on issue type
+# Values: none (default), warn (print warning), error (block operation)
+validation:
+  on-create: warn   # Warn when creating issues missing sections
+  on-sync: none     # No validation on sync (backwards compatible)
+
 # Git commit signing options (GH#600)
 # Useful when you have Touch ID commit signing that prompts for each commit
 git:

internal/config/config.go

@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ func Initialize() error {
 	// Create command defaults
 	v.SetDefault("create.require-description", false)
 
+	// Validation configuration defaults (bd-t7jq)
+	// Values: "warn" | "error" | "none"
+	// - "none": no validation (default, backwards compatible)
+	// - "warn": validate and print warnings but proceed
+	// - "error": validate and fail on missing sections
+	v.SetDefault("validation.on-create", "none")
+	v.SetDefault("validation.on-sync", "none")
+
 	// Git configuration defaults (GH#600)
 	v.SetDefault("git.author", "")        // Override commit author (e.g., "beads-bot <beads@example.com>")
 	v.SetDefault("git.no-gpg-sign", false) // Disable GPG signing for beads commits

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -786,3 +786,61 @@ func TestConfigSourceConstants(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("SourceFlag = %q, want \"flag\"", SourceFlag)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestValidationConfigDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	// Isolate from environment variables
+	restore := envSnapshot(t)
+	defer restore()
+
+	// Initialize config
+	if err := Initialize(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Initialize() returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Test validation.on-create default is "none"
+	if got := GetString("validation.on-create"); got != "none" {
+		t.Errorf("GetString(validation.on-create) = %q, want \"none\"", got)
+	}
+
+	// Test validation.on-sync default is "none"
+	if got := GetString("validation.on-sync"); got != "none" {
+		t.Errorf("GetString(validation.on-sync) = %q, want \"none\"", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidationConfigFromFile(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a temporary directory for config file
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	// Create a config file with validation settings
+	configContent := `
+validation:
+  on-create: error
+  on-sync: warn
+`
+	beadsDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(beadsDir, 0750); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads directory: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	configPath := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "config.yaml")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(configContent), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to write config file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Change to tmp directory
+	t.Chdir(tmpDir)
+
+	// Initialize viper
+	if err := Initialize(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Initialize() returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Test that validation settings are loaded correctly
+	if got := GetString("validation.on-create"); got != "error" {
+		t.Errorf("GetString(validation.on-create) = %q, want \"error\"", got)
+	}
+	if got := GetString("validation.on-sync"); got != "warn" {
+		t.Errorf("GetString(validation.on-sync) = %q, want \"warn\"", got)
+	}
+}

internal/config/yaml_config.go

@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ var YamlOnlyKeys = map[string]bool{
 
 	// Create command settings
 	"create.require-description": true,
+
+	// Validation settings (bd-t7jq)
+	// Values: "warn" | "error" | "none"
+	"validation.on-create": true,
+	"validation.on-sync":   true,
 }
 
 // IsYamlOnlyKey returns true if the given key should be stored in config.yaml
@@ -65,7 +70,7 @@ func IsYamlOnlyKey(key string) bool {
 	}
 
 	// Check prefix matches for nested keys
-	prefixes := []string{"routing.", "sync.", "git.", "directory.", "repos.", "external_projects."}
+	prefixes := []string{"routing.", "sync.", "git.", "directory.", "repos.", "external_projects.", "validation."}
 	for _, prefix := range prefixes {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(key, prefix) {
 			return true