TOML encoder: prefer readable table sections over inline tables

pkg/yqlib/decoder_toml.go

@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ func (dec *tomlDecoder) createInlineTableMap(tomlNode *toml.Node) (*CandidateNod
 	return &CandidateNode{
 		Kind:    MappingNode,
 		Tag:     "!!map",
+		Style:   FlowStyle,
 		Content: content,
 	}, nil
 }

pkg/yqlib/doc/usage/toml.md

@@ -153,7 +153,9 @@ yq '.' sample.toml
 ```
 will output
 ```yaml
-name = { first = "Tom", last = "Preston-Werner" }
+[name]
+first = "Tom"
+last = "Preston-Werner"
 ```
 
 ## Roundtrip: table section
@@ -372,7 +374,10 @@ dob = 1979-05-27T07:32:00-08:00
 enabled = true
 ports = [8000, 8001, 8002]
 data = [["delta", "phi"], [3.14]]
-temp_targets = { cpu = 79.5, case = 72.0 }
+
+[database.temp_targets]
+cpu = 79.5
+case = 72.0
 
 # [servers] yq can't do this one yet
 [servers.alpha]
@@ -384,3 +389,20 @@ ip = "10.0.0.2"
 role = "backend"
 ```
 
+## Encode: Simple mapping produces table section
+Given a sample.yml file of:
+```yaml
+arg:
+  hello: foo
+
+```
+then
+```bash
+yq -o toml '.' sample.yml
+```
+will output
+```toml
+[arg]
+hello = "foo"
+```
+

pkg/yqlib/encoder_toml.go

@@ -162,12 +162,10 @@ func (te *tomlEncoder) encodeTopLevelEntry(w io.Writer, path []string, node *Can
 		// Regular array attribute
 		return te.writeArrayAttribute(w, path[len(path)-1], node)
 	case MappingNode:
-		// Inline table if not EncodeSeparate, else emit separate tables/arrays of tables for children under this path
-		if !node.EncodeSeparate {
-			// If children contain mappings or arrays of mappings, prefer separate sections
-			if te.hasEncodeSeparateChild(node) || te.hasStructuralChildren(node) {
-				return te.encodeSeparateMapping(w, path, node)
-			}
+		// Use inline table syntax only for nodes explicitly marked with flow/inline style
+		// (e.g. TOML inline tables or YAML flow mappings). All other mappings become
+		// readable TOML table sections.
+		if node.Style&FlowStyle != 0 {
 			return te.writeInlineTableAttribute(w, path[len(path)-1], node)
 		}
 		return te.encodeSeparateMapping(w, path, node)
@@ -429,14 +427,19 @@ func (te *tomlEncoder) writeTableHeader(w io.Writer, path []string, m *Candidate
 // encodeSeparateMapping handles a mapping that should be encoded as table sections.
 // It emits the table header for this mapping if it has any content, then processes children.
 func (te *tomlEncoder) encodeSeparateMapping(w io.Writer, path []string, m *CandidateNode) error {
-	// Check if this mapping has any non-mapping, non-array-of-tables children (i.e., attributes)
+	// Check if this mapping has any non-mapping, non-array-of-tables children (i.e., attributes).
+	// Flow-style (inline) mapping children also count as attributes since they render as key = { ... }.
 	hasAttrs := false
 	for i := 0; i < len(m.Content); i += 2 {
 		v := m.Content[i+1]
 		if v.Kind == ScalarNode {
 			hasAttrs = true
 			break
 		}
+		if v.Kind == MappingNode && v.Style&FlowStyle != 0 {
+			hasAttrs = true
+			break
+		}
 		if v.Kind == SequenceNode {
 			// Check if it's NOT an array of tables
 			allMaps := true
@@ -464,18 +467,14 @@ func (te *tomlEncoder) encodeSeparateMapping(w io.Writer, path []string, m *Cand
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// No attributes, just nested structures - process children
+	// No attributes, just nested table structures - process children recursively
 	for i := 0; i < len(m.Content); i += 2 {
 		k := m.Content[i].Value
 		v := m.Content[i+1]
 		switch v.Kind {
 		case MappingNode:
-			// Emit [path.k]
 			newPath := append(append([]string{}, path...), k)
-			if err := te.writeTableHeader(w, newPath, v); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if err := te.encodeMappingBodyWithPath(w, newPath, v); err != nil {
+			if err := te.encodeSeparateMapping(w, newPath, v); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		case SequenceNode:
@@ -599,13 +598,21 @@ func (te *tomlEncoder) encodeMappingBodyWithPath(w io.Writer, path []string, m *
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Finally, child mappings that are not marked EncodeSeparate get inlined as attributes
+	// Finally, child mappings: flow-style (inline) ones become inline table attributes,
+	// while all others are emitted as separate sub-table sections.
 	for i := 0; i < len(m.Content); i += 2 {
 		k := m.Content[i].Value
 		v := m.Content[i+1]
-		if v.Kind == MappingNode && !v.EncodeSeparate {
-			if err := te.writeInlineTableAttribute(w, k, v); err != nil {
-				return err
+		if v.Kind == MappingNode {
+			if v.Style&FlowStyle != 0 {
+				if err := te.writeInlineTableAttribute(w, k, v); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			} else {
+				subPath := append(append([]string{}, path...), k)
+				if err := te.encodeSeparateMapping(w, subPath, v); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}

pkg/yqlib/toml_test.go

@@ -182,6 +182,12 @@ var expectedSampleWithHeader = `servers:
 var rtInlineTableAttr = `name = { first = "Tom", last = "Preston-Werner" }
 `
 
+// Inline tables are converted to readable table sections on encode
+var rtInlineTableAttrEncoded = `[name]
+first = "Tom"
+last = "Preston-Werner"
+`
+
 var rtTableSection = `[owner.contact]
 name = "Tom"
 age = 36
@@ -263,6 +269,33 @@ ip = "10.0.0.2"
 role = "backend"
 `
 
+// Inline table temp_targets is expanded to a readable sub-table when re-encoding
+var sampleFromWebEncoded = `# This is a TOML document
+title = "TOML Example"
+
+[owner]
+name = "Tom Preston-Werner"
+dob = 1979-05-27T07:32:00-08:00
+
+[database]
+enabled = true
+ports = [8000, 8001, 8002]
+data = [["delta", "phi"], [3.14]]
+
+[database.temp_targets]
+cpu = 79.5
+case = 72.0
+
+# [servers] yq can't do this one yet
+[servers.alpha]
+ip = "10.0.0.1"
+role = "frontend"
+
+[servers.beta]
+ip = "10.0.0.2"
+role = "backend"
+`
+
 var subArrays = `
 [[array]]
 
@@ -506,7 +539,7 @@ var tomlScenarios = []formatScenario{
 		description:  "Roundtrip: inline table attribute",
 		input:        rtInlineTableAttr,
 		expression:   ".",
-		expected:     rtInlineTableAttr,
+		expected:     rtInlineTableAttrEncoded,
 		scenarioType: "roundtrip",
 	},
 	{
@@ -605,7 +638,7 @@ var tomlScenarios = []formatScenario{
 		description:  "Roundtrip: sample from web",
 		input:        sampleFromWeb,
 		expression:   ".",
-		expected:     sampleFromWeb,
+		expected:     sampleFromWebEncoded,
 		scenarioType: "roundtrip",
 	},
 	{
@@ -614,6 +647,34 @@ var tomlScenarios = []formatScenario{
 		expected:     tomlTableWithComments,
 		scenarioType: "roundtrip",
 	},
+	// Encode (YAML → TOML) scenarios - verify readable table sections are produced
+	{
+		description:  "Encode: Simple mapping produces table section",
+		input:        "arg:\n  hello: foo\n",
+		expected:     "[arg]\nhello = \"foo\"\n",
+		scenarioType: "encode",
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:      true,
+		description:  "Encode: Nested mappings produce nested table sections",
+		input:        "a:\n  b:\n    c: val\n",
+		expected:     "[a.b]\nc = \"val\"\n",
+		scenarioType: "encode",
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:      true,
+		description:  "Encode: Mixed scalars and nested mapping",
+		input:        "a:\n  hello: foo\n  nested:\n    key: val\n",
+		expected:     "[a]\nhello = \"foo\"\n\n[a.nested]\nkey = \"val\"\n",
+		scenarioType: "encode",
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:      true,
+		description:  "Encode: YAML flow mapping stays inline",
+		input:        "arg: {hello: foo}\n",
+		expected:     "arg = { hello = \"foo\" }\n",
+		scenarioType: "encode",
+	},
 }
 
 func testTomlScenario(t *testing.T, s formatScenario) {
@@ -629,6 +690,8 @@ func testTomlScenario(t *testing.T, s formatScenario) {
 		}
 	case "roundtrip":
 		test.AssertResultWithContext(t, s.expected, mustProcessFormatScenario(s, NewTomlDecoder(), NewTomlEncoder()), s.description)
+	case "encode":
+		test.AssertResultWithContext(t, s.expected, mustProcessFormatScenario(s, NewYamlDecoder(ConfiguredYamlPreferences), NewTomlEncoder()), s.description)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -654,6 +717,28 @@ func documentTomlDecodeScenario(w *bufio.Writer, s formatScenario) {
 	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```yaml\n%v```\n\n", mustProcessFormatScenario(s, NewTomlDecoder(), NewYamlEncoder(ConfiguredYamlPreferences))))
 }
 
+func documentTomlEncodeScenario(w *bufio.Writer, s formatScenario) {
+	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("## %v\n", s.description))
+
+	if s.subdescription != "" {
+		writeOrPanic(w, s.subdescription)
+		writeOrPanic(w, "\n\n")
+	}
+
+	writeOrPanic(w, "Given a sample.yml file of:\n")
+	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```yaml\n%v\n```\n", s.input))
+
+	writeOrPanic(w, "then\n")
+	expression := s.expression
+	if expression == "" {
+		expression = "."
+	}
+	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```bash\nyq -o toml '%v' sample.yml\n```\n", expression))
+	writeOrPanic(w, "will output\n")
+
+	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```toml\n%v```\n\n", mustProcessFormatScenario(s, NewYamlDecoder(ConfiguredYamlPreferences), NewTomlEncoder())))
+}
+
 func documentTomlRoundtripScenario(w *bufio.Writer, s formatScenario) {
 	writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("## %v\n", s.description))
 
@@ -687,6 +772,8 @@ func documentTomlScenario(_ *testing.T, w *bufio.Writer, i interface{}) {
 		documentTomlDecodeScenario(w, s)
 	case "roundtrip":
 		documentTomlRoundtripScenario(w, s)
+	case "encode":
+		documentTomlEncodeScenario(w, s)
 
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unhandled scenario type %q", s.scenarioType))