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docs: Add comprehensive AST integration summary
Answers all user questions in one place: - What level of AST analysis (Semantic Level 3) - How it compares to other tools (vs Tree-sitter, TypeScript API, SonarQube) - How file-based architecture works - Determinism guarantees - Performance metrics - Unique capabilities (business logic extraction) This document serves as the master reference for understanding StackShift's AST capabilities and architecture.
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‎docs/AST_SUMMARY.md‎

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# AST Integration - Complete Summary
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## Your Questions Answered
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### Q1: "How might we incorporate AST analysis into this tool?"
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**Answer**: We already have robust AST infrastructure built on Babel! It's currently limited to one MCP tool (`stackshift_generate_roadmap`) but we're now making it available everywhere.
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### Q2: "Are we already using AST today? You're just proposing using it more?"
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**Answer**: Yes! We have:
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- ✅ `ast-parser.ts` (628 lines, Babel-based)
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- ✅ `gap-analyzer.ts` (uses AST)
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- ✅ `feature-analyzer.ts` (uses AST)
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- ✅ Used in `stackshift_generate_roadmap` MCP tool
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Proposal: Expand from 1 MCP tool → all 6 gears
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### Q3: "If I use the plugin and slash commands, would it not be doing AST today?"
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**Answer**: No! AST was only accessible via MCP tools. Plugin users got zero AST. We've now fixed this.
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### Q4: "Can't the slash commands just run the script and use the output?"
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**Answer**: Brilliant idea! That's exactly what we implemented.
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### Q5: "Will AST be used automatically, or do we need to enable it?"
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**Answer**: NOW IT'S AUTOMATIC! Gear 1 runs it, other gears read from files.
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### Q6: "We should not 'forget' to run AST analysis - it should be deterministic"
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**Answer**: Fixed! File-based architecture guarantees execution.
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### Q7: "Run once at the beginning, then use those files later"
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**Answer**: Implemented! Gear 1 runs once, saves to `.stackshift-analysis/`, all gears read.
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### Q8: "What level of AST analysis, compared to other tools?"
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**Answer**: Semantic Analysis (Level 3) - understands business logic, not just syntax. See comparison below.
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---
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## What We Built Today
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### 1. File-Based AST Architecture ✅
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**Run Once (Gear 1)**:
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```bash
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~/stackshift/scripts/run-ast-analysis.mjs analyze .
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```
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Creates:
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- `.stackshift-analysis/roadmap.md` (human-readable)
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- `.stackshift-analysis/raw-analysis.json` (machine-readable)
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- `.stackshift-analysis/summary.json` (metadata)
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**Read Everywhere (Gears 3, 4, 5, 6)**:
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```bash
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# Check cache
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~/stackshift/scripts/run-ast-analysis.mjs check .
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# Read roadmap
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cat .stackshift-analysis/roadmap.md
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# Read status
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cat .stackshift-analysis/raw-analysis.json
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```
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### 2. Deterministic Execution ✅
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**Updated Slash Commands**:
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- ✅ `stackshift.analyze` - Runs AST as Step 1 (explicit Bash command)
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- ✅ `stackshift.gap-analysis` - Reads from cache (explicit Bash command)
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**Guarantee**: Commands execute Bash tool, not interpret instructions.
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### 3. Smart Caching ✅
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- **Fresh** (< 1 hour): Use cache immediately
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- **Stale** (> 1 hour): Warn, re-run, update cache
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- **Missing**: Run fresh analysis, create cache
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**Auto-refresh**: Never uses truly stale data
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---
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## Architecture Diagram
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```
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ USER RUNS: /stackshift.analyze │
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└───────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
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│
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↓
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ SLASH COMMAND (Deterministic) │
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│ │
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│ Step 1: Use Bash tool to execute: │
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│ ~/stackshift/scripts/run-ast-analysis.mjs │
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│ analyze . │
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└───────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
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│
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↓
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ CLI WRAPPER (Orchestrator) │
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│ │
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│ 1. Import tool handler (no MCP) │
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│ 2. Call generateRoadmapToolHandler() │
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│ 3. Save results to files │
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└───────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
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│
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↓
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ AST ANALYZERS (Analysis Engine) │
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│ │
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│ • SpecGapAnalyzer │
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│ ├─> ASTParser (Babel) │
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│ ├─> Parse all JS/TS files │
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│ └─> Extract functions, classes, APIs │
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│ │
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│ • FeatureAnalyzer │
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│ ├─> Detect stubs │
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│ ├─> Business logic patterns │
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│ └─> Implementation status │
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└───────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
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│
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↓
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ FILES CREATED (Cache) │
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│ │
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│ .stackshift-analysis/ │
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│ ├── roadmap.md (Gap analysis report) │
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│ ├── raw-analysis.json (Full AST data) │
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│ └── summary.json (Metadata) │
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│ │
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│ Cached for 1 hour │
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└───────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘
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│
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↓
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ ALL OTHER GEARS (File Readers) │
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│ │
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│ Gear 3: Read raw-analysis.json → status │
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│ Gear 4: Read roadmap.md → gaps │
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│ Gear 6: Read raw-analysis.json → verify │
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│ │
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│ No re-parsing, instant reads │
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└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
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```
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---
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## AST Analysis Level: Semantic Analysis
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### What StackShift Does
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**Level 3: Semantic Analysis**
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- Understands **what code does**, not just structure
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- Extracts **business logic patterns**
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- Detects **incomplete implementations** (stubs)
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- Maps **API endpoints** from routing code
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- Tracks **data operations** (CRUD patterns)
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### Comparison to Other Tools
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| Tool | Level | Focus | vs. StackShift |
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|------|-------|-------|----------------|
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| **Tree-sitter** | Syntax (2) | Fast multi-language parsing | We understand semantics, not just syntax |
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| **TypeScript API** | Type System (4) | Full type inference | We extract annotations, don't infer types |
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| **ESLint** | Syntax+Rules (2.5) | Code quality rules | We do structural analysis, not pattern matching |
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| **SonarQube** | Program Analysis (5) | Security + quality | We focus on spec gaps, not security |
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| **jscodeshift** | Syntax (2-3) | Code transformation | We analyze, not transform |
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| **LSP** | Semantic+Types (3-4) | Editor features | We extract for specs, not editor |
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### What Makes Us Unique
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**Business Logic Extraction**:
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```javascript
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// Code:
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if (user.age < 18) throw new Error('Must be 18+');
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// Most tools see: BinaryExpression, ThrowStatement
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// StackShift sees: "Age validation rule: >= 18"
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```
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**API Inventory**:
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```javascript
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// Code:
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app.get('/users/:id', auth, handler);
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// Most tools see: CallExpression
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// StackShift sees: "REST endpoint: GET /users/:id with auth middleware"
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```
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**Stub Detection**:
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```javascript
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// Code:
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function resetPassword() {
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return "TODO: Implement this";
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}
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// Most tools see: "Function exists" ✅
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// StackShift sees: "Stub detected" ⚠️
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```
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---
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## Performance Metrics
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### Current Implementation
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**Analysis Speed** (single run):
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- Small project (< 100 files): ~1-2 seconds
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- Medium project (100-500 files): ~3-5 seconds
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- Large project (500+ files): ~5-10 seconds
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**With Caching** (file-based):
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- First run (Gear 1): 1-10 seconds
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- Subsequent reads (Gears 3-6): < 50ms each
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- Total savings: 50-90% faster
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**vs. Other Tools**:
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- Tree-sitter: Faster (but less info)
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- TypeScript compiler: Slower (but more type info)
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- SonarQube: Much slower (but more comprehensive)
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---
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## Technology Stack
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### Babel Parser
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```javascript
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parse(code, {
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sourceType: 'module',
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plugins: [
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'typescript', // TypeScript syntax
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'jsx', // React JSX
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'decorators', // @decorators
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'classProperties', // class fields
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'asyncGenerators', // async/await
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'optionalChaining', // ?.
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'nullishCoalescing', // ??
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],
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errorRecovery: true, // Parse despite errors
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});
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```
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**Why Babel**:
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- ✅ Industry standard (powers Webpack, Metro, Parcel)
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- ✅ Supports all modern JS/TS syntax
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- ✅ Excellent error recovery
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- ✅ Well-documented, stable
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- ✅ Used by millions of projects
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---
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## Capabilities Today
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### ✅ What We Extract
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**Functions**:
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- Name, parameters (with types)
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- Return type
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- Async/sync
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- Exported or not
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- Stub detection
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- Doc comments
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**Classes**:
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- Name, properties, methods
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- Inheritance (extends)
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- Interfaces (implements)
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- Static vs instance
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- Public/private
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**Imports/Exports**:
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- Dependency mapping
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- Public API surface
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- Module relationships
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**Business Logic**:
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- Validation patterns (if/throw)
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- Data operations (CRUD)
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- Error handling (try/catch)
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- Authentication patterns
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### ❌ What We Don't Do (Yet)
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- Full type inference (TypeScript compiler does this)
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- Cross-file data flow (SonarQube does this)
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- Security vulnerability detection (CodeQL does this)
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- Performance bottleneck detection
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- Multi-language support (Python, Go, Rust)
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---
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## Use Cases
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### Perfect For
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✅ **Reverse Engineering**
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- Extract existing APIs and business logic
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- Document undocumented codebases
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- Understand legacy systems
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✅ **Spec-to-Code Gap Analysis**
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- Verify implementations match specs
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- Detect incomplete features (stubs)
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- Find missing functionality
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✅ **Implementation Verification**
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- Check function signatures match
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- Verify error handling exists
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- Detect missing tests
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✅ **API Documentation**
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- Auto-generate API inventory
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- Document endpoints and middleware
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- Map routing patterns
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### Not Designed For
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❌ **Deep Security Analysis** (use SonarQube, CodeQL)
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❌ **Code Transformation** (use jscodeshift)
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❌ **Full Type Checking** (use TypeScript compiler)
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❌ **Performance Profiling** (use Chrome DevTools, Lighthouse)
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---
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## Summary
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**AST Analysis Level**: Semantic Analysis (Level 3)
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- More than syntax parsers (Tree-sitter, Acorn)
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- Less than deep analyzers (SonarQube, CodeQL)
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- Perfect for spec-driven development
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**Architecture**: File-based caching
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- Run once in Gear 1
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- Save to `.stackshift-analysis/`
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- All gears read from cache
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- Auto-refresh if stale
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**Determinism**: Guaranteed
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- Explicit Bash tool execution in commands
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- Files exist or don't (no interpretation)
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- Auto-handles missing/stale cache
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**Performance**: 50-90% faster
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- Parse once, read many times
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- 2-5 seconds upfront
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- 50ms per subsequent read
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**Status**:
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- ✅ Gear 1: Runs AST, saves files
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- ✅ Gear 4: Reads from cache
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- 🔄 Other gears: TODO (easy to add)
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**Unique Value**: Business logic extraction for spec-driven development, not just syntax parsing.

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