Empty `deploy-cache.json` makes the sf cli crash when running `sf project deploy start -c`

[aaugustijn]

Summary

When running sf project deploy start -c I run into an error: Unexpected end of JSON input.
After some digging, I found that the problem was an empty ~/.sf/deploy-cache.json file. Once I removed the empty file, everything went back to working again.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Have any valid sfdx project open with the latest cli version
2. Deploy changes to the org, to create a valid ~/.sf/deploy-cache.json file
3. Empty that file, so it has 0 bytes in it
4. Make a change to source
5. Deploy again using sf project deploy start -c

Expected result

The deploy should happen, and the CLI should report back the changes.

Actual result

The deploy is successful, I can see that from my org.
The output from the sf cli is this:

Additional information

I have ran sf project deploy start -c --dev-debug which give a useful stacktrace. (I only left in part of it because the issue description became too long)

Error (1): Unexpected end of JSON input


*** Internal Diagnostic ***

SfCommandError [JsonParseError]: Unexpected end of JSON input
    at Function.from (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/sf-plugins-core/lib/SfCommandError.js:39:16)
    at DeployMetadata.catch (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/sf-plugins-core/lib/sfCommand.js:323:47)
    at DeployMetadata.catch (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/plugin-deploy-retrieve/src/commands/project/deploy/start.ts:325:23)
    at DeployMetadata._run (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@oclif/core/lib/command.js:185:29)
    at async Config.runCommand (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@oclif/core/lib/config/config.js:456:25)
    at async run (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@oclif/core/lib/main.js:97:16)
    at async file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/bin/run.js:15:1 {
  actions: undefined,
  exitCode: 1,
  context: 'DeployMetadata',
  data: undefined,
  cause: JsonParseError: Unexpected end of JSON input
      at Function.create (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/errors.js:61:20)
      at parseJson (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/json.js:41:39)
      at parseJsonMap (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/json.js:79:18)
      ... 6 lines matching cause stack trace ...
      at async DeployMetadata._run (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@oclif/core/lib/command.js:181:22) {
    cause: SyntaxError: Unexpected end of JSON input
        at JSON.parse (<anonymous>)
        at parseJson (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/json.js:38:21)
        at parseJsonMap (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/json.js:79:18)
        at DeployCache.read (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/core/lib/config/configFile.js:156:52)
        at async DeployCache.init (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/core/lib/config/ttlConfig.js:45:26)
        at async Function.create (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/kit/lib/creatable.js:66:9)
        at async Function.set (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/plugin-deploy-retrieve/src/utils/deployCache.ts:35:19)
        at async executeDeploy (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/plugin-deploy-retrieve/src/utils/deploy.ts:186:3)
        at async DeployMetadata.run (file:///Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@salesforce/plugin-deploy-retrieve/src/commands/project/deploy/start.ts:238:24)
        at async DeployMetadata._run (/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli/node_modules/@oclif/core/lib/command.js:181:22),
    path: '/Users/aaugustijn/.sf/deploy-cache.json',
    line: undefined,
    errorPortion: undefined
  },
  status: 1,
  commandName: 'DeployMetadata',
  warnings: [],
  result: undefined,
  skipOclifErrorHandling: true,
  oclif: { exit: 1 }
}

System Information

Using MBP M4 with zsh as a shell

{
  "architecture": "darwin-arm64",
  "cliVersion": "@salesforce/cli/2.106.4",
  "nodeVersion": "node-v22.17.0",
  "osVersion": "Darwin 24.6.0",
  "rootPath": "/Users/aaugustijn/.nvm/versions/node/v22.17.0/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli",
  "shell": "zsh",
  "pluginVersions": [
    "@mysolution/sfdxplugins 2.0.51 (link) /Users/aaugustijn/mys/SfdxPlugins",
    "@oclif/plugin-autocomplete 3.2.34 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-commands 4.1.32 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-help 6.2.32 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-not-found 3.2.67 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-plugins 5.4.46 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-search 1.2.28 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-update 4.7.4 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-version 2.2.32 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-warn-if-update-available 3.1.46 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-which 3.2.39 (core)",
    "@salesforce/cli 2.106.4 (core)",
    "agent 1.24.8 (core)",
    "apex 3.6.19 (core)",
    "api 1.3.3 (core)",
    "auth 3.9.4 (core)",
    "code-analyzer 5.2.2 (user) published 76 days ago (Tue Jun 24 2025) (latest is 5.4.0)",
    "community 3.3.40 (user) published 2 days ago (Sun Sep 07 2025)",
    "data 4.0.55 (core)",
    "deploy-retrieve 3.23.1 (core)",
    "info 3.4.85 (core)",
    "lightning-dev 3.5.1 (user) published 12 days ago (Wed Aug 27 2025)",
    "limits 3.3.66 (core)",
    "marketplace 1.3.8 (core)",
    "org 5.9.27 (core)",
    "packaging 2.19.10 (core)",
    "schema 3.3.81 (core)",
    "settings 2.4.46 (core)",
    "sobject 1.4.72 (core)",
    "telemetry 3.6.55 (core)",
    "templates 56.3.63 (core)",
    "trust 3.7.113 (core)",
    "user 3.6.38 (core)"
  ]
}

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[cristiand391]

hey @aaugustijn, sorry for the late reply.

I think main issue is that your deploy-cache.json got into that state (empty content instead of being removed by CLI automatically when last cache entry is removed).

Is there a specific combination of commands that get you into this scenario?

[aaugustijn]

Hi Christian, I don’t have a reproduction scenario for that, but I imagine it happened while interrupting a deployment with Ctrl+C in the CLI. I suggest making the deployment logic more resilient by handling an empty file without error, that will prevent this anyhow. Abe Sent from Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>

…

________________________________ From: Cristian Dominguez ***@***.***> Sent: Monday, September 15, 2025 4:53:35 PM To: forcedotcom/cli ***@***.***> Cc: Abe Augustijn ***@***.***>; Mention ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [forcedotcom/cli] Empty `deploy-cache.json` makes the sf cli crash when running `sf project deploy start -c` (Issue #3387) [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/6853656?s=20&v=4]cristiand391 left a comment (forcedotcom/cli#3387)<#3387 (comment)> hey @aaugustijn<https://github.com/aaugustijn>, sorry for the late reply. I think main issue is that your deploy-cache.json got into that state (empty content instead of being removed by CLI automatically when last cache entry is removed). Is there a specific combination of commands that get you into this scenario? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#3387 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APGTU4WSWZLTU4LL3N74A533S3HG7AVCNFSM6AAAAACF77VE2OVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTEOJSGYYDEOBYGQ>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[git2gus]

This issue has been linked to a new work item: W-19727185

[soridalac]

This was fixed in sf v2.122.6:
https://github.com/forcedotcom/cli/tree/main/releasenotes#21226-feb-11-2026