Memtrace Codebase Exploration

Overview

Full codebase exploration workflow — from indexing through architectural understanding. Chains indexing, graph algorithms, community detection, and temporal analysis into a structured onboarding experience. Use this when someone is new to a codebase and needs to build a mental model.

Steps

1. Index the codebase

Call list_indexed_repositories first. If the repo is already indexed, skip to step 2.

Otherwise, call index_directory with the project path, then poll check_job_status until completion.

Success criteria: Repo appears in list_indexed_repositories with non-zero node/edge counts.

2. Get the lay of the land

Call get_repository_stats to understand scale:

• How many functions, classes, methods, interfaces?
• How many relationships (calls, imports, extends)?
• How many communities and processes were detected?

Report these numbers to the user — they set expectations for the codebase's size and complexity.

3. Map the architecture (communities)

Call list_communities to see how the codebase naturally clusters into logical modules.

Decision: If >10 communities, summarize the top 5–7 by size and let the user ask about specific ones.

Each community represents a cohesive module — these are the "areas" of the codebase.

4. Find the most important symbols

Call find_central_symbols — PageRank over CALLS/REFERENCES edges (no method param):

{ "repo_id": "<repo>", "limit": 15 }

These are the symbols that the rest of the codebase depends on most heavily. They form the "skeleton" of the architecture.