fix(core): Improve license diagnostics and CLI output (#30955)

packages/cli/src/commands/license/info.ts

@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ export class LicenseInfoCommand extends BaseCommand {
 		const license = Container.get(License);
 		await license.init({ isCli: true });
 
-		this.logger.info('Printing license information:\n' + license.getInfo());
+		// Write to stdout so output is independent of N8N_LOG_LEVEL.
+		process.stdout.write(license.getInfo() + '\n');
 	}
 
 	async catch(error: Error) {
-		this.logger.error('\nGOT ERROR');
-		this.logger.info('====================================');
-		this.logger.error(error.message);
+		process.stderr.write('\nGOT ERROR\n');
+		process.stderr.write('====================================\n');
+		process.stderr.write(error.message + '\n');
 	}
 }

packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts

@@ -358,7 +358,27 @@ export class Start extends BaseCommand<z.infer<typeof flagsSchema>> {
 			}
 		}
 
-		throw new FeatureNotLicensedError(LICENSE_FEATURES.MULTIPLE_MAIN_INSTANCES);
+		throw new FeatureNotLicensedError(LICENSE_FEATURES.MULTIPLE_MAIN_INSTANCES, {
+			extra: {
+				instance: {
+					type: this.instanceSettings.instanceType,
+					isLeader: this.instanceSettings.isLeader,
+				},
+				config: {
+					autoRenewalEnabled: this.globalConfig.license?.autoRenewalEnabled,
+					activationKeySet: !!this.globalConfig.license?.activationKey,
+					usingEphemeralCert: !!this.globalConfig.license?.cert,
+				},
+				cert: {
+					exists: (await this.license.loadCertStr()).length > 0,
+					isValid: this.license.isCertValid(),
+					hasMultiMain: this.license.hasFeatureInCert(LICENSE_FEATURES.MULTIPLE_MAIN_INSTANCES),
+					expiresAt: this.license.getExpiryDate()?.toISOString() ?? null,
+					terminatesAt: this.license.getTerminationDate()?.toISOString() ?? null,
+					consumerId: this.license.getConsumerId(),
+				},
+			},
+		});
 	}
 
 	async run() {

packages/cli/src/errors/feature-not-licensed.error.ts

@@ -2,10 +2,13 @@ import type { LICENSE_FEATURES } from '@n8n/constants';
 import { UserError } from 'n8n-workflow';
 
 export class FeatureNotLicensedError extends UserError {
-	constructor(feature: (typeof LICENSE_FEATURES)[keyof typeof LICENSE_FEATURES]) {
+	constructor(
+		feature: (typeof LICENSE_FEATURES)[keyof typeof LICENSE_FEATURES],
+		opts: { extra?: Record<string, unknown> } = {},
+	) {
 		super(
 			`Your license does not allow for ${feature}. To enable ${feature}, please upgrade to a license that supports this feature.`,
-			{ level: 'warning' },
+			{ level: 'warning', extra: opts.extra },
 		);
 	}
 }

packages/cli/src/license.ts

@@ -255,6 +255,14 @@ export class License implements LicenseProvider {
 		return this.manager?.hasFeatureEnabled(feature) ?? false;
 	}
 
+	isCertValid(): boolean {
+		return this.manager?.isValid(false /* useLogger */) ?? false;
+	}
+
+	hasFeatureInCert(feature: BooleanLicenseFeature): boolean {
+		return this.manager?.hasFeatureEnabled(feature, false) ?? false;
+	}
+
 	/** @deprecated Use `LicenseState.isDynamicCredentialsLicensed` instead. */
 	isDynamicCredentialsEnabled() {
 		return this.isLicensed(LICENSE_FEATURES.DYNAMIC_CREDENTIALS);