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/trace-flow

Trace code flow with business context from docs

Usage​

/trace-flow <target>

Arguments​

ArgumentDescriptionRequired
targetFunction name, endpoint, or file to trace fromYes

What This Command Does​

Trace Flow: $ARGUMENTS.target

You are tracing code flow to understand how $ARGUMENTS.target works, with business context from documentation.

Step 1: Find Entry Point​

Locate $ARGUMENTS.target in the codebase:

  • Search for function/method name
  • Search for API endpoint
  • Search for file path

Report:

ENTRY POINT FOUND:
→ [type] [name] ([file path]:[line number])

Step 2: Map Call Chain​

Trace all function calls from entry point:

  • Follow function calls depth-first
  • Note file and line number for each
  • Stop at external libraries/APIs

Report as tree:

CALL CHAIN:
[entry point]
  → [function1]()         ([file]:[line])
    → [function2]()       ([file]:[line])
      → [function3]()     ([file]:[line])
    → [function4]()       ([file]:[line])
  → [function5]()         ([file]:[line])

Search ./docs/ for features related to this flow:

  1. Match function/endpoint names to feature folders
  2. Search for keywords in spec.md files

For each related feature, extract relevant business rules from spec.md.

Report:

RELATED BUSINESS RULES:
From ./docs/[feature]/spec.md:
- [Rule 1]
- [Rule 2]
- [Rule 3]

Step 4: Identify Data Flow​

Track data through the call chain:

  • What parameters are passed
  • What is returned
  • Where data is transformed

Report:

DATA FLOW:
Input: [describe input data]
  → [function1]: [transformation]
  → [function2]: [transformation]
Output: [describe output data]

Step 5: Flag Potential Issues​

Based on code and docs, identify:

  • Places where code might not match documented rules
  • Complex logic that could hide bugs
  • Missing error handling
  • Potential race conditions

Report:

POTENTIAL ISSUE AREAS:
- [function](): [concern]
- [function](): [concern]

Step 6: Summary​

Provide concise summary:

  • What this flow does (1-2 sentences)
  • Key business rules that apply
  • Suggested areas to investigate (if debugging)

Auto-generated from .claude/commands/trace-flow.md