feat: report malformed rule deprecation metadata

designs/2026-rule-tester-meta-deprecated-validation/README.md

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+- Repo: eslint/eslint
+- Start Date: 2026-05-03
+- RFC PR: https://github.com/eslint/rfcs/pull/147
+- Authors: xbinaryx
+
+# Report Malformed Rule Deprecation Metadata
+
+## Summary
+
+`RuleTester` should validate the shape of `meta.deprecated` on the rule under test and throw an assertion error when the value does not match the documented `boolean | DeprecatedInfo` contract.
+
+## Motivation
+
+Rule deprecation metadata is used by ESLint to populate `usedDeprecatedRules` and by integrations to explain replacement rules. Today, malformed `meta.deprecated` values can pass through rule tests unnoticed, which allows invalid metadata to reach users and downstream tools. `RuleTester` already catches common rule authoring mistakes such as invalid option schemas, missing `meta.fixable`, and missing `meta.hasSuggestions`; deprecation metadata should receive the same early feedback.
+
+## Detailed Design
+
+When `RuleTester#run()` is called, `RuleTester` will validate `rule.meta.deprecated` at the very beginning of the execution, before any valid or invalid test cases are run. This will be implemented as part of the existing `assertRule()` validation function, which runs early in the process. If `meta.deprecated` is omitted or set to `undefined`, no validation error is reported.
+
+The accepted values are:
+
+```js
+meta: {
+    deprecated: true
+}
+
+meta: {
+    deprecated: false
+}
+
+meta: {
+    deprecated: {
+        message: "Use eslint-plugin-example/example instead.",
+        url: "https://example.com/deprecations/example",
+        deprecatedSince: "9.0.0",
+        availableUntil: "10.0.0",
+        replacedBy: [
+            {
+                message: "Replacement rule.",
+                url: "https://example.com/replacements/example",
+                plugin: {
+                    name: "eslint-plugin-example",
+                    url: "https://example.com/plugin"
+                },
+                rule: {
+                    name: "example",
+                    url: "https://example.com/rules/example"
+                }
+            }
+        ]
+    }
+}
+```
+
+The object form must match `DeprecatedInfo`:
+
+- `message`, `url`, and `deprecatedSince` must be strings when present.
+- `availableUntil` must be a string or `null` when present.
+- `replacedBy` must be an array when present.
+- No other top-level `DeprecatedInfo` properties are allowed.
+
+Each `replacedBy` entry must be a `ReplacedByInfo` object:
+
+- `message` and `url` must be strings when present.
+- `plugin` and `rule` must be `ExternalSpecifier` objects when present.
+- No other `ReplacedByInfo` properties are allowed.
+
+Each `ExternalSpecifier` object may contain:
+
+- `name`, which must be a string when present.
+- `url`, which must be a string when present.
+- No other `ExternalSpecifier` properties are allowed.
+
+Malformed values cause `RuleTester` to throw before any valid or invalid test case is executed. Error messages should include the invalid metadata path, such as:
+
+```text
+Rule's `meta.deprecated` must be a boolean or object.
+Rule's `meta.deprecated.replacedBy` must be an array.
+Rule's `meta.deprecated.replacedBy[0].plugin.name` must be a string.
+```
+
+## Documentation
+
+No updates to the existing documentation are required, as the [Rule Deprecation](https://eslint.org/docs/latest/extend/rule-deprecation) page already defines the accepted runtime shape for rule deprecation metadata. However, because this is a breaking change for rule tests, it will be noted in the migration guide for the next major release.
+
+## Drawbacks
+
+This is a breaking change for rule packages whose tests currently pass with malformed deprecation metadata. Some projects may also be storing custom, nonstandard fields under `meta.deprecated`; those projects will need to remove those fields or move them elsewhere.
+
+## Backwards Compatibility Analysis
+
+Existing rules with valid deprecation metadata are unaffected. Rules with malformed metadata will start failing in `RuleTester`. This disruption is intentional so rule authors discover metadata problems before publishing.
+
+## Alternatives
+
+One alternative is to validate only the top-level `meta.deprecated` type and ignore nested fields. That would catch the most severe malformed values, but it would still allow invalid replacement metadata to reach `usedDeprecatedRules`.
+
+Another alternative is to rely on TypeScript definitions. That helps TypeScript rule authors, but many ESLint rules are written in JavaScript and can still publish malformed metadata.
+
+## Open Questions
+
+None at this time.
+
+## Help Needed
+
+No additional help is needed for the initial implementation.
+
+## Frequently Asked Questions
+
+### Does this affect end users running ESLint?
+
+No. This proposal changes `RuleTester`, so it affects rule authors and maintainers running rule tests.
+
+## Related Discussions
+
+eslint/eslint#20603