I have some unintended results from

generate-lockfiles

. I was to the understanding based on this https://www.pantsbuild.org/blog/2025/12/11/lockfile-metadata-files that the

pants.toml

option:

separate_lockfile_metadata_file = true

Should be removed on 2.31 as it will be default true. On 2.31 I get a combined file if I don't explicitly set the flag.

i think that

separate_lockfile_metadata_file

defaults to true in new projects, ie ones that don't already have a generated lockfile, but I'm no expert. Hopefully the pants devs can weigh in on this and clear the air