Support project-independent single-file checking without `gowdk.config.go`

[cssbruno]

Priority

Medium

Context

Project-aware compiler commands currently require gowdk.config.go even when the user passes explicit .gwdk files. This is appropriate for builds and feature-complete project validation, but it prevents basic parser, language, and project-independent semantic checks in a scratch directory or before a project has been initialized.

fmt and tokens can already operate directly on files; check should have a similarly useful standalone lane while preserving a separate full project check.

Problem

Requiring project configuration before any explicit-file validation creates unnecessary coupling between language tooling and project/build policy. It also makes editor onboarding, minimal reproductions, syntax experiments, and bug reports harder.

At the same time, silently inventing project settings would be unsafe for source that depends on modules, addons, Go package binding, environment contracts, layouts, or other project context.

Proposed direction

Define a deterministic standalone checking mode for explicit files:

• parse and recover syntax;
• build the source-local AST/semantic model;
• run validations that require no project configuration;
• use documented neutral defaults only where semantics are unambiguous;
• report a focused project_config_required-style diagnostic for checks that genuinely require project context.

The CLI may select this automatically when explicit files are provided and no config exists, or expose it explicitly through a flag such as --standalone. Full project checking remains available through the discovered or supplied config.

Acceptance criteria

• A user can run a documented single-file check in a directory without gowdk.config.go.
• Standalone mode performs syntax, declaration, source-local route shape, view, and other project-independent validation.
• Features requiring addons, module discovery, cross-file layouts/components, Go bindings, lifecycle configuration, or deployment/environment policy produce specific context-required diagnostics rather than causing all checking to fail up front.
• Standalone mode does not execute config packages, external addons, build functions, or project hooks.
• Full project mode remains the authoritative validation for build, generated apps, and project-wide uniqueness/binding checks.
• CLI output clearly says whether the check was standalone or project-aware when that distinction affects coverage.
• LSP and editor tooling can reuse the same project-independent validation lane for detached files.
• Tests cover a valid isolated file, malformed syntax, a project-dependent feature, and the same file under a real project config.
• Getting-started, CLI, and diagnostics documentation explain the boundary.

Related

• Unify gowdk.config.go loading under one explicit execution model #665 decides the authoritative project configuration execution model.
• Separate runtime environment validation from compiler config loading #666 separates runtime environment validation from compiler config loading.
• Extract shared project compilation orchestration from the CLI #671 should provide the shared compilation snapshot used by both standalone and project-aware checking.