Your approach to locating the frontMatterHelper.json configuration file by recursively searching parent directories until the project root is identified aligns well with common practices for tools operating within specific project structures, like Docusaurus. This method ensures flexibility and convenience for users, as it abstracts away the need to specify configuration paths manually, making the tool more intuitive to use. Here's a breakdown of how you might implement this functionality, along with considerations regarding the persistence of the config file location:

Implementation Strategy

1. Starting Point: Begin the search from the current working directory. This is typically where the command is executed.

2. Recursive Search Logic: Implement a function that checks for the existence of frontMatterHelper.json in the current directory. If the file is not found, the function should then move up to the parent directory and repeat the process.

   • Use a file system library (e.g., fs in Node.js) to check for file existence and to navigate the directory structure.
   • To move to the parent directory, you can manipulate the path string or use path manipulation functions provided by your programming environment.

3. Termination Conditions: The recursive search should terminate under two conditions:

   • The frontMatterHelper.json file is found. In this case, use the found path for further operations.
   • The root of the file system is reached without finding the file. Depending on your tool's design, this could either trigger an error message informing the user that the configuration file could not be found or prompt the user for the configuration file's location.

Handling Config File Location Persistence

While the concern about memory dumping and losing the config file location is valid, most scripting environments provide mechanisms to retain such critical information during the execution of a program. Here are a few ways to manage this:

1. In-Memory Storage: Once located, the absolute path to the configuration file can be stored in a variable within your script. This variable remains accessible throughout the execution lifetime of your script, allowing you to reference the config file as needed.

2. Environmental Variable: For longer-running processes or scenarios where the script's execution context might change, consider storing the resolved configuration path in an environment variable. This approach is more relevant for environments that persist across multiple command invocations.

3. Temporary File: Another approach, though less commonly needed for CLI tools, involves writing the configuration path to a temporary file that the script can reference. This method is typically used for inter-process communication or persisting state across separate executions.

Example Pseudocode

function findConfigFile(currentDir) {
    const configFile = 'frontMatterHelper.json';
    let parentDir = path.resolve(currentDir, '..');
    let configPath = path.join(currentDir, configFile);

    if (fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
        return configPath; // Config file found
    } else if (parentDir === currentDir) {
        throw new Error('Configuration file not found.');
    } else {
        return findConfigFile(parentDir); // Recurse up the directory tree
    }
}

const configFilePath = findConfigFile(process.cwd());

This strategy of locating the configuration file ensures that your tool is user-friendly and adaptable to various project structures. By clearly documenting this behavior, you help users understand how to organize their projects to work seamlessly with your tool.