Arbor v1.4.0

Graph‑Native Intelligence for Codebases

Know what breaks before you break it.

What is Arbor?

Arbor is a local‑first impact analysis engine for large codebases. Instead of treating code as text, Arbor parses your project into a semantic dependency graph. This lets you trace real execution paths—callers, callees, imports, inheritance, and cross‑file relationships—so you can confidently understand the consequences of change.

Unlike keyword search or vector‑based RAG systems, Arbor answers questions like:

“If I change this function, what actually breaks?”

with structural certainty, not probabilistic guesses.

Example: Blast Radius Detection

Before refactoring detect_language, inspect its true impact:

$ arbor refactor detect_language

Analyzing detect_language...

Confidence: High | Role: Core Logic
• 15 callers, 3 dependencies
• Well-connected with manageable impact

> 18 nodes affected (4 direct, 14 transitive)

Immediate Impact:
  • parse_file (function)
  • get_parser (function)

Recommendation: Proceed with caution. Verify affected callers.

This is execution‑aware analysis, not text matching.

Graphical Interface

Arbor v1.4 ships with a native GUI for interactive impact analysis.

arbor gui

GUI Capabilities

• Symbol Search – Instantly locate functions, classes, and methods
• Impact Visualization – Explore direct and transitive dependencies
• Privacy‑Safe – File paths are hidden by default for clean screenshots
• Export – Copy results as Markdown for PRs and design docs

The CLI and GUI share the same analysis engine—no feature gaps.

Quick Start

1. Install Arbor (CLI + GUI):

   cargo install arbor-graph-cli
   

2. Run Impact Analysis:

   cd your-project
   arbor refactor <symbol-name>
   

3. Launch the GUI:

   arbor gui
   

📘 See the Quickstart Guide for advanced workflows.

Why Arbor?

Most AI coding tools treat code as unstructured text, relying on vector similarity. This approach is fast—but imprecise.

Arbor builds a graph.

Every function, class, and module is a node. Every call, import, and reference is an edge. When you ask a question, Arbor follows the graph—the same way your program executes.

Traditional RAG:              Arbor Graph Analysis:

"auth" → 47 results          AuthController
(keyword similarity)           ├── calls → TokenMiddleware
                               ├── queries → UserRepository
                               └── emits → AuthEvent

The result: deterministic, explainable answers.

Core Features

Native GUI

A lightweight, high‑performance interface bundled directly with Arbor—no browser, no server.

Confidence Scoring

Each result includes an explainable confidence level:

• High – Fully resolved, statically verifiable paths
• Medium – Partial uncertainty (e.g., polymorphism)
• Low – Heuristic or dynamic resolution

Node Classification

Arbor infers architectural roles automatically:

• Entry Point – APIs, CLIs, main functions
• Core Logic – Domain and business rules
• Utility – Widely reused helpers
• Adapter – Interfaces, boundaries, and bridges

AI Bridge (MCP)

Arbor implements the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling LLMs (e.g., Claude) to query the graph directly:

• find_path(start, end) – Trace logic flow
• analyze_impact(node) – Compute blast radius
• get_context(node) – Retrieve semantically related code

Cross‑File Resolution

A global symbol table resolves:

• Imports and re‑exports
• Inheritance and interfaces
• Overloads and namespaces

User in auth.ts is never confused with User in types.ts.

Supported Languages

Python note: Decorators, __init__.py, and @dataclass are statically analyzed. Dynamic dispatch is flagged with reduced confidence.

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/Anandb71/arbor.git
cd arbor/crates
cargo build --release

Linux GUI Dependencies

sudo apt-get install -y pkg-config libx11-dev libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-xfixes0-dev \
  libxkbcommon-dev libgtk-3-dev libfontconfig1-dev libasound2-dev libssl-dev cmake

Troubleshooting

Symbol not found?

• .gitignore – Arbor respects it (arbor status --files)
• File type – Ensure the extension is supported
• Empty files – Skipped (except __init__.py)
• Dynamic calls – eval / runtime reflection may not resolve
• Case sensitivity – Use arbor query <partial> to search

Empty graph?

Run arbor status to verify file detection and parser health.

Security Model

Arbor is Local‑First by design:

• No data exfiltration
• Fully offline
• No API keys
• Fully open source

Your code never leaves your machine.

License

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

⭐ Star Arbor on GitHub