fallow inspect

Compose one evidence bundle before editing a file or exported symbol. inspect is designed for agents that need the same context as the MCP inspect_target tool without starting an MCP session.

fallow inspect --file src/api.ts --format json --quiet
fallow inspect --symbol src/api.ts:fetchUser --format json --quiet

Target

Choose exactly one target form:

Flag	Description
--file <PATH>	Inspect a project-relative file.
--symbol <FILE:EXPORT>	Inspect one exported symbol, for example src/api.ts:fetchUser. Supporting dead-code, duplication, complexity, and security evidence is file-scoped in the first version.

Evidence flags

Flag	Description
--symbol-chain	Also attach the best-effort symbol-level call chain (the same data as fallow trace) as a symbol_chain evidence section. Only meaningful for a symbol target. Default off (best-effort, syntactic, off the ranked path).

Output

Format	Description
human	Compact target and identity summary.
json	Machine-readable kind: "inspect_target" bundle with normalized target identity and evidence sections. Use this from agents.

{
  "kind": "inspect_target",
  "target": {
    "type": "file",
    "file": "src/api.ts"
  },
  "identity": {
    "file": "src/api.ts",
    "is_reachable": true,
    "is_entry_point": false,
    "export_count": 3,
    "import_count": 2,
    "imported_by_count": 1
  },
  "evidence": {
    "trace_file": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} },
    "dead_code": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} },
    "duplication": { "status": "ok", "scope": "project_filtered_to_file", "data": {} },
    "complexity": { "status": "ok", "scope": "project_filtered_to_file", "data": {} },
    "security": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} }
  },
  "warnings": []
}

Each evidence section carries a status (ok or error) and scope. Non-fatal child-analysis failures are reported as section-level errors plus a warning, so the caller can still use the rest of the bundle.

inspect accepts the project and performance flags (--root, --config, --workspace, --production, --no-cache, --threads). See global flags for the full list.

MCP parity

The MCP inspect_target tool uses the same CLI flow and returns the same JSON shape. Prefer the CLI when you are already in a shell or editor command, and MCP when an agent is already connected to the server.

See also