fix(analyzer): handle Claude CLI JSON array output format

Claude Code CLI outputs a JSON array instead of a single object:
[{type: "system", ...}, {type: "assistant", ...}, {type: "result", ...}]

This caused parse_json_response to fail with "jq: invalid JSON text"
because it assumed the top-level JSON was an object.

Changes:
- Detect if JSON is an array before parsing
- Extract the "result" type message from the array
- Preserve session_id from init message for continuity
- Normalize to object format for existing parsing logic
- Clean up temporary file after processing

Fixes #112

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

CLAUDE.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with co
 
 This is the Ralph for Claude Code repository - an autonomous AI development loop system that enables continuous development cycles with intelligent exit detection and rate limiting.
 
-**Version**: v0.10.0 | **Tests**: 310 passing (100% pass rate) | **CI/CD**: GitHub Actions
+**Version**: v0.10.1 | **Tests**: 318 passing (100% pass rate) | **CI/CD**: GitHub Actions
 
 ## Core Architecture
 
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ Ralph uses advanced error detection with two-stage filtering to eliminate false
 |------|-------|-------------|
 | `test_cli_parsing.bats` | 27 | CLI argument parsing for all 12 flags |
 | `test_cli_modern.bats` | 29 | Modern CLI commands (Phase 1.1) + build_claude_command fix |
-| `test_json_parsing.bats` | 36 | JSON output format parsing + Claude CLI format + session management |
+| `test_json_parsing.bats` | 44 | JSON output format parsing + Claude CLI format + session management + array format |
 | `test_session_continuity.bats` | 26 | Session lifecycle management + circuit breaker integration |
 | `test_exit_detection.bats` | 20 | Exit signal detection |
 | `test_rate_limiting.bats` | 15 | Rate limiting behavior |
@@ -381,6 +381,18 @@ bats tests/unit/test_cli_parsing.bats
 
 ## Recent Improvements
 
+### JSON Array Format Support (v0.10.1)
+- Fixed `parse_json_response` to handle Claude CLI JSON array output format (issue #112)
+- Claude CLI outputs `[{type: "system", ...}, {type: "assistant", ...}, {type: "result", ...}]`
+- Previously expected single JSON object, now supports three formats:
+  1. Flat format: `{ status, exit_signal, work_type, ... }`
+  2. Claude CLI object format: `{ result, sessionId, metadata: {...} }`
+  3. Claude CLI array format: `[ {type: "result", ...}, ... ]`
+- Extracts `result` type message from array and normalizes to object format
+- Preserves `session_id` from init message for session continuity
+- Added 8 new tests for JSON array format handling
+- Test count: 318 (up from 310)
+
 ### .ralph/ Subfolder Structure (v0.10.0) - BREAKING CHANGE
 - **Breaking**: Moved all Ralph-specific files to `.ralph/` subfolder
 - Project root stays clean: only `src/`, `README.md`, and user files remain

lib/response_analyzer.sh

@@ -55,12 +55,14 @@ detect_output_format() {
 
 # Parse JSON response and extract structured fields
 # Creates .ralph/.json_parse_result with normalized analysis data
-# Supports TWO JSON formats:
+# Supports THREE JSON formats:
 # 1. Flat format: { status, exit_signal, work_type, files_modified, ... }
-# 2. Claude CLI format: { result, sessionId, metadata: { files_changed, has_errors, completion_status, ... } }
+# 2. Claude CLI object format: { result, sessionId, metadata: { files_changed, has_errors, completion_status, ... } }
+# 3. Claude CLI array format: [ {type: "system", ...}, {type: "assistant", ...}, {type: "result", ...} ]
 parse_json_response() {
     local output_file=$1
     local result_file="${2:-$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result}"
+    local normalized_file=""
 
     if [[ ! -f "$output_file" ]]; then
         echo "ERROR: Output file not found: $output_file" >&2
@@ -73,6 +75,29 @@ parse_json_response() {
         return 1
     fi
 
+    # Check if JSON is an array (Claude CLI array format)
+    # Claude CLI outputs: [{type: "system", ...}, {type: "assistant", ...}, {type: "result", ...}]
+    if jq -e 'type == "array"' "$output_file" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        normalized_file=$(mktemp)
+
+        # Extract the "result" type message from the array (usually the last entry)
+        # This contains: result, session_id, is_error, duration_ms, etc.
+        local result_obj=$(jq '[.[] | select(.type == "result")] | .[-1] // {}' "$output_file" 2>/dev/null)
+
+        # Also extract session_id from init message if not in result object
+        local init_session_id=$(jq -r '.[] | select(.type == "system" and .subtype == "init") | .session_id // empty' "$output_file" 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+
+        # Build normalized object merging result with session_id
+        if [[ -n "$init_session_id" && "$init_session_id" != "null" ]]; then
+            echo "$result_obj" | jq --arg sid "$init_session_id" '. + {sessionId: $sid}' > "$normalized_file"
+        else
+            echo "$result_obj" > "$normalized_file"
+        fi
+
+        # Use normalized file for subsequent parsing
+        output_file="$normalized_file"
+    fi
+
     # Detect JSON format by checking for Claude CLI fields
     local has_result_field=$(jq -r 'has("result")' "$output_file" 2>/dev/null)
 
@@ -194,6 +219,11 @@ parse_json_response() {
             }
         }' > "$result_file"
 
+    # Cleanup temporary normalized file if created (for array format handling)
+    if [[ -n "$normalized_file" && -f "$normalized_file" ]]; then
+        rm -f "$normalized_file"
+    fi
+
     return 0
 }
 

tests/unit/test_json_parsing.bats

@@ -738,3 +738,161 @@ EOF
     # Should indicate no session to resume
     [[ "$status" -ne 0 || "$output" == "false" ]] || skip "should_resume_session not yet implemented"
 }
+
+# =============================================================================
+# CLAUDE CLI JSON ARRAY FORMAT TESTS (Issue #112)
+# =============================================================================
+# Tests for the Claude CLI JSON array output format:
+# [ {type: "system", ...}, {type: "assistant", ...}, {type: "result", ...} ]
+
+@test "detect_output_format identifies JSON array as json" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    # Create Claude CLI array format output
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-init-123"},
+    {"type": "assistant", "message": {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": "Working..."}]}},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "result": "Task completed", "session_id": "session-result-123"}
+]
+EOF
+
+    run detect_output_format "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$output" "json"
+}
+
+@test "parse_json_response handles Claude CLI JSON array format" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    # Create Claude CLI array format output (as shown in issue #112)
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "hook_response", "session_id": "session-abc123"},
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-abc123", "tools": ["Write", "Read"]},
+    {"type": "assistant", "message": {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": "Implementing feature..."}]}},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "result": "All tasks completed successfully.", "session_id": "session-abc123", "is_error": false, "duration_ms": 5000}
+]
+EOF
+
+    run parse_json_response "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$status" "0"
+
+    local result_file="$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result"
+    [[ -f "$result_file" ]]
+
+    # Should extract result text into summary
+    local summary=$(jq -r '.summary' "$result_file")
+    [[ "$summary" == *"All tasks completed"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "parse_json_response extracts session_id from Claude CLI array init message" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-unique-from-init"},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "result": "Done"}
+]
+EOF
+
+    run parse_json_response "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$status" "0"
+
+    local result_file="$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result"
+    [[ -f "$result_file" ]]
+
+    local session_id=$(jq -r '.session_id' "$result_file")
+    assert_equal "$session_id" "session-unique-from-init"
+}
+
+@test "parse_json_response handles empty array gracefully" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    echo '[]' > "$output_file"
+
+    run parse_json_response "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$status" "0"
+
+    local result_file="$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result"
+    [[ -f "$result_file" ]]
+
+    # Should have default/empty values
+    local status_val=$(jq -r '.status' "$result_file")
+    assert_equal "$status_val" "UNKNOWN"
+}
+
+@test "parse_json_response handles array without result type message" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-no-result"},
+    {"type": "assistant", "message": {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": "Working..."}]}}
+]
+EOF
+
+    run parse_json_response "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$status" "0"
+
+    local result_file="$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result"
+    [[ -f "$result_file" ]]
+
+    # Should still work with defaults
+    local session_id=$(jq -r '.session_id' "$result_file")
+    assert_equal "$session_id" "session-no-result"
+}
+
+@test "parse_json_response extracts is_error from Claude CLI array result" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-error-test"},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "error", "result": "Failed to complete", "is_error": true, "duration_ms": 1000}
+]
+EOF
+
+    run parse_json_response "$output_file"
+    assert_equal "$status" "0"
+
+    local result_file="$RALPH_DIR/.json_parse_result"
+    [[ -f "$result_file" ]]
+}
+
+@test "analyze_response handles Claude CLI JSON array and extracts signals" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-analyze-array"},
+    {"type": "assistant", "message": {"content": [{"type": "text", "text": "All work complete."}]}},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "result": "Project complete and ready for review.", "is_error": false}
+]
+EOF
+
+    analyze_response "$output_file" 1
+
+    assert_file_exists "$RALPH_DIR/.response_analysis"
+
+    local output_format=$(jq -r '.output_format' "$RALPH_DIR/.response_analysis")
+    assert_equal "$output_format" "json"
+}
+
+@test "analyze_response persists session_id from Claude CLI array format" {
+    local output_file="$LOG_DIR/test_output.log"
+
+    cat > "$output_file" << 'EOF'
+[
+    {"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "session_id": "session-persist-array-test"},
+    {"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "result": "Working on task."}
+]
+EOF
+
+    analyze_response "$output_file" 1
+
+    # Session ID should be persisted for continuity
+    [[ -f "$RALPH_DIR/.claude_session_id" ]]
+
+    local stored_session=$(cat "$RALPH_DIR/.claude_session_id")
+    [[ "$stored_session" == *"session-persist-array-test"* ]]
+}