az --help causes a command index rebuild

[jessehouwing]

Describe the bug

When running az --help, the commandindex is always rebuilt, adding to the time taken to run the command.

Related command

az --help --debug`

Errors

cli.azure.cli.core: No module found from index for '['--help', '--debug']'
cli.azure.cli.core: Loading all modules and extensions

Issue script & Debug output

> az --help --debug

cli.knack.cli: Command arguments: ['--help', '--debug']
cli.knack.cli: __init__ debug log:
Enable color in terminal.
Enable VT mode.
cli.knack.cli: Event: Cli.PreExecute []
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandParser.OnGlobalArgumentsCreate [<function CLILogging.on_global_arguments at 0x0177A538>, <function OutputProducer.on_global_arguments at 0x0197C778>, <function CLIQuery.on_global_arguments at 0x019983D0>]
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPreCommandTableCreate []
cli.azure.cli.core: No module found from index for '['--help', '--debug']'
cli.azure.cli.core: Loading all modules and extensions
cli.azure.cli.core: Discovered command modules: ['acr', 'acs', 'advisor', 'ams', 'apim', 'appconfig', 'appservice', 'aro', 'backup', 'batch', 'batchai', 'billing', 'botservice', 'cdn', 'cloud', 'cognitiveservices', 'config', 'configure', 'consumption', 'container', 'cosmosdb', 'databoxedge', 'dla', 'dls', 'dms', 'eventgrid', 'eventhubs', 'extension', 'feedback', 'find', 'hdinsight', 'identity', 'interactive', 'iot', 'keyvault', 'kusto', 'lab', 'managedservices', 'maps', 'marketplaceordering', 'monitor', 'mysql', 'netappfiles', 'network', 'policyinsights', 'privatedns', 'profile', 'rdbms', 'redis', 'relay', 'resource', 'role', 'search', 'security', 'servicebus', 'serviceconnector', 'servicefabric', 'signalr', 'sql', 'sqlvm', 'storage', 'synapse', 'util', 'vm']
cli.azure.cli.core: Loading command modules:
cli.azure.cli.core: Name                  Load Time    Groups  Commands
cli.azure.cli.core: acr                       0.129        34       144
cli.azure.cli.core: acs                       0.023         7        54
cli.azure.cli.core: advisor                   0.002         3         6
cli.azure.cli.core: ams                       0.017        22       100
cli.azure.cli.core: apim                      0.007        14        68
cli.azure.cli.core: appconfig                 0.004         9        47
cli.azure.cli.core: appservice                0.075        73       260
cli.azure.cli.core: aro                       0.013         1        10
cli.azure.cli.core: backup                    0.005        16        58
cli.azure.cli.core: batch                     0.030        34       102
cli.azure.cli.core: batchai                   0.005        10        30
cli.azure.cli.core: billing                   0.008        19        52
cli.azure.cli.core: botservice                0.005        12        42
cli.azure.cli.core: cdn                       0.006        39       133
cli.azure.cli.core: cloud                     0.003         1         7
cli.azure.cli.core: cognitiveservices         0.003        10        33
cli.azure.cli.core: config                    0.002         2         7
cli.azure.cli.core: configure                 0.002         2         5
cli.azure.cli.core: consumption               0.024         8         9
cli.azure.cli.core: container                 0.014         1        11
cli.azure.cli.core: cosmosdb                  0.015        58       192
cli.azure.cli.core: databoxedge               0.006         5        27
cli.azure.cli.core: dla                       0.004        23        62
cli.azure.cli.core: dls                       0.003         7        41
cli.azure.cli.core: dms                       0.003         3        22
cli.azure.cli.core: eventgrid                 0.005        25        96
cli.azure.cli.core: eventhubs                 0.018        13        20
cli.azure.cli.core: extension                 0.001         1         7
cli.azure.cli.core: feedback                  0.001         1         2
cli.azure.cli.core: find                      0.001         1         1
cli.azure.cli.core: hdinsight                 0.009         8        39
cli.azure.cli.core: identity                  0.003         2        11
cli.azure.cli.core: interactive               0.001         1         1
cli.azure.cli.core: iot                       0.101        19        82
cli.azure.cli.core: keyvault                  0.008        22       133
cli.azure.cli.core: kusto                     0.003         3        14
cli.azure.cli.core: lab                       0.005        11        34
cli.azure.cli.core: managedservices           0.003         3         8
cli.azure.cli.core: maps                      0.003         5        13
cli.azure.cli.core: marketplaceordering       0.004         1         2
cli.azure.cli.core: monitor                   0.058        22        69
cli.azure.cli.core: mysql                     0.190        14        49
cli.azure.cli.core: netappfiles               0.006        17        94
cli.azure.cli.core: network                   0.316       103       337
cli.azure.cli.core: policyinsights            0.015         9        17
cli.azure.cli.core: privatedns                0.024        14        60
cli.azure.cli.core: profile                   0.003         2         9
cli.azure.cli.core: rdbms                     0.022        44       185
cli.azure.cli.core: redis                     0.003         5        27
cli.azure.cli.core: relay                     0.029         7         8
cli.azure.cli.core: resource                  0.011        51       226
cli.azure.cli.core: role                      0.003        17        61
cli.azure.cli.core: search                    0.003         7        22
cli.azure.cli.core: security                  0.005        48       104
cli.azure.cli.core: servicebus                0.019        12        17
cli.azure.cli.core: serviceconnector          0.051        16       235
cli.azure.cli.core: servicefabric             0.017        27        76
cli.azure.cli.core: signalr                   0.004         8        30
cli.azure.cli.core: sql                       0.016        56       215
cli.azure.cli.core: sqlvm                     0.023         4        20
cli.azure.cli.core: storage                   0.035        58       272
cli.azure.cli.core: synapse                   0.013        54       246
cli.azure.cli.core: util                      0.003         3         7
cli.azure.cli.core: vm                        0.050        57       265
cli.azure.cli.core: Total (64)                1.493      1184      4636
cli.azure.cli.core: Loading extensions:
cli.azure.cli.core: Name                  Load Time    Groups  Commands  Directory
cli.azure.cli.core: azure-devops              0.083        60       192  C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure\cliextensions\azure-devops
cli.azure.cli.core: containerapp              0.034        31        95  C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure\cliextensions\containerapp
cli.azure.cli.core: init                      0.004         1         1  C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure\cliextensions\init
cli.azure.cli.core: Total (3)                 0.121        92       288
cli.azure.cli.core: Loaded 1262 groups, 4924 commands.
cli.azure.cli.core: Updated command index in 0.005 seconds.
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPreCommandTableTruncate [<function AzCliLogging.init_command_file_logging at 0x03B296E8>]
cli.azure.cli.core.azlogging: metadata file logging enabled - writing logs to 'C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure\commands\2023-09-21.15-35-57.unknown_command.33904.log'.
az_command_data_logger: command args: --help --debug
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPreArgumentLoad [<function register_global_subscription_argument.<locals>.add_subscription_parameter at 0x03B53850>]
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPostArgumentLoad []
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPostCommandTableCreate [<function register_ids_argument.<locals>.add_ids_arguments at 0x03B627C0>, <function register_cache_arguments.<locals>.add_cache_arguments at 0x03B629B8>]
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnCommandTableLoaded []
cli.knack.cli: Event: CommandInvoker.OnPreParseArgs [<function _documentdb_deprecate at 0x04925190>]

Group
    az

Subgroups:
    account               : Manage Azure subscription information.
    acr                   : Manage private registries with Azure Container Registries.
    ad                    : Manage Azure Active Directory Graph entities needed for Role Based
                            Access Control.
    advisor               : Manage Azure Advisor.
    afd         [Preview] : Manage Azure Front Door Standard/Premium. For classical Azure
                            Front Door, please refer https://docs.microsoft.com/en-
                            us/cli/azure/network/front-door?view=azure-cli-latest.
    aks                   : Manage Azure Kubernetes Services.
    ams                   : Manage Azure Media Services resources.
    apim                  : Manage Azure API Management services.
    appconfig             : Manage App Configurations.
    appservice            : Manage App Service plans.
    aro                   : Manage Azure Red Hat OpenShift clusters.
    artifacts             : Manage Azure Artifacts.
    backup                : Manage Azure Backups.
    batch                 : Manage Azure Batch.
    bicep                 : Bicep CLI command group.
    billing               : Manage Azure Billing.
    boards                : Manage Azure Boards.
    bot                   : Manage Microsoft Azure Bot Service.
    cache                 : Commands to manage CLI objects cached using the `--defer` argument.
    capacity              : Manage capacity.
    cdn                   : Manage Azure Content Delivery Networks (CDNs).
    cloud                 : Manage registered Azure clouds.
    cognitiveservices     : Manage Azure Cognitive Services accounts.
    config [Experimental] : Manage Azure CLI configuration.
    connection            : Commands to manage Service Connector local connections which allow local
                            environment to connect Azure Resource. If you want to manage connection
                            for compute service, please run 'az webapp/containerapp/spring
                            connection'.
    consumption [Preview] : Manage consumption of Azure resources.
    container             : Manage Azure Container Instances.
    containerapp          : Manage Azure Container Apps.
    cosmosdb              : Manage Azure Cosmos DB database accounts.
    databoxedge [Preview] : Support data box edge device and management.
    deployment            : Manage Azure Resource Manager template deployment at subscription scope.
    deployment-scripts    : Manage deployment scripts at subscription or resource group scope.
    devops                : Manage Azure DevOps organization level operations.
    disk                  : Manage Azure Managed Disks.
    disk-access           : Manage disk access resources.
    disk-encryption-set   : Disk Encryption Set resource.
    dla         [Preview] : Manage Data Lake Analytics accounts, jobs, and catalogs.
    dls         [Preview] : Manage Data Lake Store accounts and filesystems.
    dms                   : Manage Azure Data Migration Service (classic) instances.
    eventgrid             : Manage Azure Event Grid topics, domains, domain topics, system topics
                            partner topics, event subscriptions, system topic event subscriptions
                            and partner topic event subscriptions.
    eventhubs             : Eventhubs.
    extension             : Manage and update CLI extensions.
    feature               : Manage resource provider features.
    functionapp           : Manage function apps. To install the Azure Functions Core tools see
                            https://github.com/Azure/azure-functions-core-tools.
    group                 : Manage resource groups and template deployments.
    hdinsight             : Manage HDInsight resources.
    identity              : Managed Identities.
    image                 : Manage custom virtual machine images.
    iot                   : Manage Internet of Things (IoT) assets.
    keyvault              : Manage KeyVault keys, secrets, and certificates.
    kusto                 : Manage Azure Kusto resources.
    lab         [Preview] : Manage Azure DevTest Labs.
    lock                  : Manage Azure locks.
    logicapp              : Manage logic apps.
    managed-cassandra     : Azure Managed Cassandra.
    managedapp            : Manage template solutions provided and maintained by Independent
                            Software Vendors (ISVs).
    managedservices       : Manage the registration assignments and definitions in Azure.
    maps                  : Manage Azure Maps.
    mariadb               : Manage Azure Database for MariaDB servers.
    monitor               : Manage the Azure Monitor Service.
    mysql                 : Manage Azure Database for MySQL servers.
    netappfiles           : Manage Azure NetApp Files (ANF) Resources.
    network               : Manage Azure Network resources.
    pipelines             : Manage Azure Pipelines.
    policy                : Manage resource policies.
    postgres              : Manage Azure Database for PostgreSQL servers.
    ppg                   : Manage Proximity Placement Groups.
    private-link          : Private-link association CLI command group.
    provider              : Manage resource providers.
    redis                 : Manage dedicated Redis caches for your Azure applications.
    relay                 : Manage Azure Relay Service namespaces, WCF relays, hybrid connections,
                            and rules.
    repos                 : Manage Azure Repos.
    resource              : Manage Azure resources.
    resourcemanagement    : Resourcemanagement CLI command group.
    restore-point         : Manage restore point with res.
    role                  : Manage user roles for access control with Azure Active Directory and
                            service principals.
    search                : Manage Azure Search services, admin keys and query keys.
    security              : Manage your security posture with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
    servicebus            : Servicebus.
    sf                    : Manage and administer Azure Service Fabric clusters.
    sig                   : Manage shared image gallery.
    signalr               : Manage Azure SignalR Service.
    snapshot              : Manage point-in-time copies of managed disks, native blobs, or other
                            snapshots.
    sql                   : Manage Azure SQL Databases and Data Warehouses.
    sshkey                : Manage ssh public key with vm.
    stack                 : A deployment stack is a native Azure resource type that enables you to
                            perform operations on a resource collection as an atomic unit.
    staticwebapp          : Manage static apps.
    storage               : Manage Azure Cloud Storage resources.
    synapse               : Manage and operate Synapse Workspace, Spark Pool, SQL Pool.
    tag                   : Tag Management on a resource.
    term   [Experimental] : Manage marketplace agreement with marketplaceordering.
    ts                    : Manage template specs at subscription or resource group scope.
    vm                    : Manage Linux or Windows virtual machines.
    vmss                  : Manage groupings of virtual machines in an Azure Virtual Machine Scale
                            Set (VMSS).
    webapp                : Manage web apps.

Commands:
    configure             : Manage Azure CLI configuration. This command is interactive.
    feedback              : Send feedback to the Azure CLI Team.
    find                  : I'm an AI robot, my advice is based on our Azure documentation as well
                            as the usage patterns of Azure CLI and Azure ARM users. Using me
                            improves Azure products and documentation.
    init   [Experimental] : It's an effortless setting up tool for configs.
    interactive [Preview] : Start interactive mode. Installs the Interactive extension if
                            not installed already.
    login                 : Log in to Azure.
    logout                : Log out to remove access to Azure subscriptions.
    rest                  : Invoke a custom request.
    survey                : Take Azure CLI survey.
    upgrade     [Preview] : Upgrade Azure CLI and extensions.
    version               : Show the versions of Azure CLI modules and extensions in JSON format by
                            default or format configured by --output.

To search AI knowledge base for examples, use: az find "az "

cli.knack.cli: Event: Cli.PostExecute [<function AzCliLogging.deinit_cmd_metadata_logging at 0x03B29808>]
az_command_data_logger: exit code: 0
cli.__main__: Command ran in 2.175 seconds (init: 0.312, invoke: 1.863)
telemetry.main: Begin splitting cli events and extra events, total events: 1
telemetry.client: Accumulated 0 events. Flush the clients.
telemetry.main: Finish splitting cli events and extra events, cli events: 1
telemetry.save: Save telemetry record of length 3283 in cache
telemetry.main: Begin creating telemetry upload process.
telemetry.process: Creating upload process: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\Lib\site-packages\azure\cli\telemetry\__init__.pyc C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure"
telemetry.process: Return from creating process
telemetry.main: Finish creating telemetry upload process.

Expected behavior

Command index cache is used.

This behavior only occurs when running top-level --help, calling az vm --help --debug doesn't rebuild the command index.

Environment Summary

az --version
azure-cli                         2.52.0

core                              2.52.0
telemetry                          1.1.0

Extensions:
azure-devops                      0.26.0
containerapp                      0.3.29
init                               0.1.0

Dependencies:
msal                            1.24.0b1
azure-mgmt-resource             23.1.0b2

Python location 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe'
Extensions directory 'C:\Users\JesseHouwing\.azure\cliextensions'

Python (Windows) 3.10.10 (tags/v3.10.10:aad5f6a, Feb  7 2023, 17:05:00) [MSC v.1929 32 bit (Intel)]

Legal docs and information: aka.ms/AzureCliLegal


Your CLI is up-to-date.

Additional context

Command index cache is used.

This behavior only occurs when running top-level --help, calling az vm --help --debug doesn't rebuild the command index.

[yonzhan]

Thank you for opening this issue, we will look into it.

[bebound]

This is by design.
We have to load every module to know how many subgroups are available.

[jessehouwing]

Isn't that information cached in the command index? It feels like a lot of overhead for something that should be up to date in the case 99% of the time.

[bebound]

The command index only contains the mapping between subgroups and modules.

In this command, No module found from index for '['--help', '--debug']' and it loads all module.
It also reasonable that the help message is not cached and has to be load from the modules.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @adamedx.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @Drewm3, @TravisCragg-MSFT, @nikhilpatel909, @sandeepraichura, @hilaryw29, @GabstaMSFT, @ramankumarlive, @ushnaarshadkhan.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @Azure/azure-iot-cli-triage.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Thanks for the feedback! We are routing this to the appropriate team for follow-up. cc @AzureAppServiceCLI, @antcp.