v0.1.2 minor refactor, helpers back to private, utility update

builder.go

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Build() (*Config, error) {
 	b.cfg.configFilePath = b.file
 
 	// 2. Load configuration
-	loadErr := b.cfg.LoadWithOptions(b.file, b.args, b.opts)
+	loadErr := b.cfg.loadWithOptions(b.file, b.args, b.opts)
 	if loadErr != nil && !errors.Is(loadErr, ErrConfigNotFound) {
 		// Return on fatal load errors. ErrConfigNotFound is not fatal.
 		return nil, wrapError(ErrFileAccess, loadErr)

constant.go

@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@ const (
 	EventPrecedenceChanged  = "precedence"
 )
 
-// debounceSettleMultiplier ensures sufficient time for debounce to complete
-const debounceSettleMultiplier = 3 // Wait 3x debounce period for value stabilization
-
 // Channel and resource limits
 const (
 	DefaultMaxWatchers = 100

decode.go

@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ func (c *Config) unmarshal(source Source, target any, basePath ...string) error
 	if source == "" {
 		// Use current merged state
 		for path, item := range c.items {
-			SetNestedValue(nestedMap, path, item.currentValue)
+			setNestedValue(nestedMap, path, item.currentValue)
 		}
 	} else {
 		// Use specific source
 		for path, item := range c.items {
 			if val, exists := item.values[source]; exists {
-				SetNestedValue(nestedMap, path, val)
+				setNestedValue(nestedMap, path, val)
 			}
 		}
 	}

doc/architecture.md

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Live Reload:
 - **Security**: `WithSecurityOptions()`
 
 ### Source Loading (`loader.go`)
-- **Multi-Source Loading**: `Load()`, `LoadWithOptions()`
+- **Multi-Source Loading**: `loadWithOptions()`
 - **Individual Sources**: `LoadFile()`, `LoadEnv()`, `LoadCLI()`
 - **Persistence**: `Save()`, `SaveSource()`, `atomicWriteFile()`
 - **Environment Mapping**: `DiscoverEnv()`, `ExportEnv()`, `defaultEnvTransform()`
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ Live Reload:
 - **Change Detection**: `checkAndReload()`, `performReload()`, `notifyWatchers()`
 - **Resource Management**: Max watcher limits, graceful shutdown
 
-### Convenience API (`convenience.go`)
+### Convenience API (`utility.go`)
 - **Quick Setup**: `Quick()`, `QuickCustom()`, `MustQuick()`, `QuickTyped()`
 - **Flag Integration**: `GenerateFlags()`, `BindFlags()`
 - **Type-Safe Access**: `GetTyped()`, `GetTypedWithDefault()`, `ScanTyped()`
-- **Utilities**: `Validate()`, `Debug()`, `Dump()`, `Clone()`
+- **Utilities**: `Validate()`, `Debug()`, `Dump()`, `Clone()`, `ScanMap()`
 
 ### File Discovery (`discovery.go`)
 - **Options**: `FileDiscoveryOptions` struct with search strategies

doc/quick-guide_lixenwraith_config.md

@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ These are the **preferred methods** for accessing configuration data
 
 *   `AsStruct() (any, error)`: After using `Builder.WithTarget()`, this method returns the populated, type-safe target struct - This is the primary way to access config after initialization or live reload
 *   `Scan(basePath string, target any)`: Populates a struct with values from a specific config path (e.g., `cfg.Scan("server", &serverConf)`)
+*   `ScanMap(configMap map[string]any, target any, tagName ...string)`: Decodes a map[string]any directly into a target struct, useful for plugins or custom config sources
 *   `GetTyped[T](c *Config, path string) (T, error)`: Retrieves a single value and decodes it to type `T`, handling type conversion automatically
 *   `ScanTyped[T](c *Config, basePath ...string) (*T, error)`: A generic wrapper around `Scan` that allocates, populates, and returns a pointer to a struct of type `T`
 
@@ -156,9 +157,3 @@ These methods are for dynamic key-value access that require type assertion and s
 *   `Save(path string)`: Atomically saves the current merged configuration state to a file
 *   `Clone() *Config`: Creates a deep copy of the configuration state
 *   `Debug() string`: Returns a formatted string of all values for debugging
-
-### Utility Functions
-
-*   `FlattenMap(nested map[string]any, prefix string) map[string]any`: Converts a nested map to a flat map with dot-notation keys
-*   `SetNestedValue(nested map[string]any, path string, value any)`: Sets a value in a nested map using a dot-notation path
-*   `IsValidKeySegment(s string) bool`: Checks if a string is a valid path segment

helper.go

@@ -3,20 +3,20 @@ package config
 
 import "strings"
 
-// FlattenMap converts a nested map[string]any to a flat map[string]any with dot-notation paths
+// flattenMap converts a nested map[string]any to a flat map[string]any with dot-notation paths
-func FlattenMap(nested map[string]any, prefix string) map[string]any {
+func flattenMap(nestedMap map[string]any, prefix string) map[string]any {
 	flat := make(map[string]any)
 
-	for key, value := range nested {
+	for key, value := range nestedMap {
 		newPath := key
 		if prefix != "" {
 			newPath = prefix + "." + key
 		}
 
 		// Check if the value is a map that can be further flattened
-		if nestedMap, isMap := value.(map[string]any); isMap {
+		if nested, isMap := value.(map[string]any); isMap {
 			// Recursively flatten the nested map
-			flattenedSubMap := FlattenMap(nestedMap, newPath)
+			flattenedSubMap := flattenMap(nested, newPath)
 			// Merge the flattened sub-map into the main flat map
 			for subPath, subValue := range flattenedSubMap {
 				flat[subPath] = subValue
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ func FlattenMap(nested map[string]any, prefix string) map[string]any {
 	return flat
 }
 
-// SetNestedValue sets a value in a nested map using a dot-notation path
+// setNestedValue sets a value in a nested map using a dot-notation path
 // It creates intermediate maps if they don't exist
 // If a segment exists but is not a map, it will be overwritten by a new map
-func SetNestedValue(nested map[string]any, path string, value any) {
+func setNestedValue(nested map[string]any, path string, value any) {
 	segments := strings.Split(path, ".")
 	current := nested
 
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ func SetNestedValue(nested map[string]any, path string, value any) {
 	current[lastSegment] = value
 }
 
-// IsValidKeySegment checks if a single path segment is a valid TOML key part
+// isValidKeySegment checks if a single path segment is a valid TOML key part
-func IsValidKeySegment(s string) bool {
+func isValidKeySegment(s string) bool {
 	if len(s) == 0 {
 		return false
 	}

loader.go

@@ -62,14 +62,8 @@ func DefaultLoadOptions() LoadOptions {
 	}
 }
 
-// Load reads configuration from a TOML file and merges overrides from command-line arguments.
+// loadWithOptions loads configuration from multiple sources with custom options
-// This is a convenience method that maintains backward compatibility.
+func (c *Config) loadWithOptions(filePath string, args []string, opts LoadOptions) error {
-func (c *Config) Load(filePath string, args []string) error {
-	return c.LoadWithOptions(filePath, args, c.options)
-}
-
-// LoadWithOptions loads configuration from multiple sources with custom options
-func (c *Config) LoadWithOptions(filePath string, args []string, opts LoadOptions) error {
 	c.mutex.Lock()
 	c.options = opts
 	c.mutex.Unlock()
@@ -143,7 +137,7 @@ func (c *Config) Save(path string) error {
 
 	nestedData := make(map[string]any)
 	for itemPath, item := range c.items {
-		SetNestedValue(nestedData, itemPath, item.currentValue)
+		setNestedValue(nestedData, itemPath, item.currentValue)
 	}
 
 	c.mutex.RUnlock()
@@ -215,7 +209,7 @@ func (c *Config) SaveSource(path string, source Source) error {
 	nestedData := make(map[string]any)
 	for itemPath, item := range c.items {
 		if val, exists := item.values[source]; exists {
-			SetNestedValue(nestedData, itemPath, val)
+			setNestedValue(nestedData, itemPath, val)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -501,7 +495,7 @@ func (c *Config) loadCLI(args []string) error {
 		return err // Already wrapped with error category in parseArgs
 	}
 
-	flattenedCLI := FlattenMap(parsedCLI, "")
+	flattenedCLI := flattenMap(parsedCLI, "")
 	if len(flattenedCLI) == 0 {
 		return nil // No CLI args to process.
 	}
@@ -648,13 +642,13 @@ func parseArgs(args []string) (map[string]any, error) {
 		// Validate keyPath segments
 		segments := strings.Split(keyPath, ".")
 		for _, segment := range segments {
-			if !IsValidKeySegment(segment) {
+			if !isValidKeySegment(segment) {
 				return nil, wrapError(ErrInvalidPath, fmt.Errorf("invalid command-line key segment %q in path %q", segment, keyPath))
 			}
 		}
 
 		// Always store as a string. Let Scan handle final type conversion.
-		SetNestedValue(result, keyPath, valueStr)
+		setNestedValue(result, keyPath, valueStr)
 	}
 
 	return result, nil

loader_test.go

@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestEnvironmentLoading(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		}
 
-		err := cfg.LoadWithOptions("", nil, opts)
+		err := cfg.loadWithOptions("", nil, opts)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		host, _ := cfg.Get("db.host")
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func TestEnvironmentLoading(t *testing.T) {
 			EnvWhitelist: map[string]bool{"allowed.path": true},
 		}
 
-		err := cfg.LoadWithOptions("", nil, opts)
+		err := cfg.loadWithOptions("", nil, opts)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		allowed, _ := cfg.Get("allowed.path")
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ port = 8080
 		EnvPrefix: "TEST_",
 	}
 
-	err := cfg.LoadWithOptions(configFile, args, opts)
+	err := cfg.loadWithOptions(configFile, args, opts)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// CLI should win

register.go

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func (c *Config) Register(path string, defaultValue any) error {
 	// Validate path segments
 	segments := strings.Split(path, ".")
 	for _, segment := range segments {
-		if !IsValidKeySegment(segment) {
+		if !isValidKeySegment(segment) {
 			return wrapError(ErrInvalidPath, fmt.Errorf("invalid path segment %q in path %q", segment, path))
 		}
 	}

utility.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// FILE: lixenwraith/config/convenience.go
+// FILE: lixenwraith/config/utility.go
 package config
 
 import (
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
 	"github.com/go-viper/mapstructure/v2"
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ func Quick(structDefaults any, envPrefix, configFile string) (*Config, error) {
 	opts := DefaultLoadOptions()
 	opts.EnvPrefix = envPrefix
 
-	err := cfg.LoadWithOptions(configFile, os.Args[1:], opts)
+	err := cfg.loadWithOptions(configFile, os.Args[1:], opts)
 	return cfg, err
 }
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func QuickCustom(structDefaults any, opts LoadOptions, configFile string) (*Conf
 		}
 	}
 
-	err := cfg.LoadWithOptions(configFile, os.Args[1:], opts)
+	err := cfg.loadWithOptions(configFile, os.Args[1:], opts)
 	return cfg, err
 }
 
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ func (c *Config) Dump() error {
 
 	nestedData := make(map[string]any)
 	for path, item := range c.items {
-		SetNestedValue(nestedData, path, item.currentValue)
+		setNestedValue(nestedData, path, item.currentValue)
 	}
 
 	encoder := toml.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ func GetTyped[T any](c *Config, path string) (T, error) {
 
 // GetTypedWithDefault retrieves a configuration value with a default fallback
 // If the path doesn't exist or isn't set, it sets and returns the default value
-// This is a convenience function for simple cases where explicit defaults aren't pre-registered
+// For simple cases where explicit defaults aren't pre-registered
 func GetTypedWithDefault[T any](c *Config, path string, defaultValue T) (T, error) {
 	// Check if path exists and has a value
 	if _, exists := c.Get(path); exists {
@@ -319,3 +320,46 @@ func ScanTyped[T any](c *Config, basePath ...string) (*T, error) {
 	}
 	return &target, nil
 }
+
+// ScanMap decodes a configuration map directly into a target struct
+// without requiring a full Config instance. This is useful for plugin
+// initialization where config data arrives as a map[string]any.
+func ScanMap(configMap map[string]any, target any, tagName ...string) error {
+	// Handle nil map
+	if configMap == nil {
+		configMap = make(map[string]any)
+	}
+
+	// Determine tag name
+	tag := "toml" // default
+	if len(tagName) > 0 && tagName[0] != "" {
+		tag = tagName[0]
+	}
+
+	// Create decoder with standard hooks
+	decoder, err := mapstructure.NewDecoder(&mapstructure.DecoderConfig{
+		Result:           target,
+		TagName:          tag,
+		WeaklyTypedInput: true,
+		DecodeHook: mapstructure.ComposeDecodeHookFunc(
+			jsonNumberHookFunc(),
+			stringToNetIPHookFunc(),
+			stringToNetIPNetHookFunc(),
+			stringToURLHookFunc(),
+			mapstructure.StringToTimeDurationHookFunc(),
+			mapstructure.StringToTimeHookFunc(time.RFC3339),
+			mapstructure.StringToSliceHookFunc(","),
+		),
+		ZeroFields: true,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return wrapError(ErrDecode, fmt.Errorf("decoder creation failed: %w", err))
+	}
+
+	// Decode directly
+	if err := decoder.Decode(configMap); err != nil {
+		return wrapError(ErrDecode, fmt.Errorf("decode failed: %w", err))
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}

utility_test.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// FILE: lixenwraith/config/convenience_test.go
+// FILE: lixenwraith/config/utility_test.go
 package config
 
 import (
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-// TestQuickFunctions tests the convenience Quick* functions
+// TestQuickFunctions tests the utility Quick* functions
 func TestQuickFunctions(t *testing.T) {
 	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
 	configFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "quick.toml")
@@ -371,3 +371,99 @@ func TestGetTypedWithDefault(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, []string{"default", "tag"}, tags)
 	})
 }
+
+// TestScanMap tests the ScanMap utility function
+func TestScanMap(t *testing.T) {
+	type Config struct {
+		Server struct {
+			Host    string        `toml:"host" json:"hostname"`
+			Port    int           `toml:"port" json:"port"`
+			Timeout time.Duration `toml:"timeout" json:"timeout"`
+		} `toml:"server" json:"server"`
+		LogLevel string `toml:"log_level" json:"logLevel"`
+	}
+
+	t.Run("BasicScanWithTOMLTags", func(t *testing.T) {
+		configMap := map[string]any{
+			"server": map[string]any{
+				"host":    "localhost",
+				"port":    8080,
+				"timeout": "15s",
+			},
+			"log_level": "info",
+		}
+
+		var target Config
+		err := ScanMap(configMap, &target)
+
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "localhost", target.Server.Host)
+		assert.Equal(t, 8080, target.Server.Port)
+		assert.Equal(t, 15*time.Second, target.Server.Timeout)
+		assert.Equal(t, "info", target.LogLevel)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("ScanWithJSONTags", func(t *testing.T) {
+		configMap := map[string]any{
+			"server": map[string]any{
+				"hostname": "json-host",
+				"port":     9090,
+				"timeout":  "1m",
+			},
+			"logLevel": "debug",
+		}
+
+		var target Config
+		err := ScanMap(configMap, &target, "json")
+
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "json-host", target.Server.Host)
+		assert.Equal(t, 9090, target.Server.Port)
+		assert.Equal(t, 1*time.Minute, target.Server.Timeout)
+		assert.Equal(t, "debug", target.LogLevel)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("NilMapInput", func(t *testing.T) {
+		var target Config
+		target.LogLevel = "initial"
+		target.Server.Port = 1234
+
+		err := ScanMap(nil, &target)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Verify that fields are NOT changed when the map is empty,
+		// reflecting the observed behavior.
+		assert.Equal(t, "initial", target.LogLevel)
+		assert.Equal(t, 1234, target.Server.Port)
+		assert.Empty(t, target.Server.Host)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("PartialMapBehavior", func(t *testing.T) {
+		configMap := map[string]any{
+			"log_level": "warn",
+		}
+		var target Config
+		target.Server.Host = "initial_host"
+		target.Server.Port = 1234
+		target.LogLevel = "initial_log"
+
+		err := ScanMap(configMap, &target)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Mapped field should be updated
+		assert.Equal(t, "warn", target.LogLevel)
+		// Unmapped fields should be untouched
+		assert.Equal(t, "initial_host", target.Server.Host, "Unmapped field should be untouched")
+		assert.Equal(t, 1234, target.Server.Port, "Unmapped field should be untouched")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("InvalidTarget", func(t *testing.T) {
+		configMap := map[string]any{"log_level": "info"}
+		var target Config // Not a pointer
+
+		err := ScanMap(configMap, target)
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+		// The underlying mapstructure error is "result must be a pointer"
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "must be a pointer")
+	})
+}

watch_test.go

@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ const (
 	testWatchTimeout      = 2 * DefaultPollInterval // 2s for change propagation
 
 	// Derived test multipliers with clear purpose
-	testDebounceSettle = debounceSettleMultiplier * testDebounce // 150ms for debounce verification
 	testPollWindow     = 3 * testPollInterval // 300ms change detection window
 	testStateStabilize = 4 * testDebounce     // 200ms for state convergence
 )