The Architect (Structural Analysis)

The Architect module provides high-level structural insights into your codebase. While Cortex understands syntax, Architect understands system design.

Core Capabilities

1. Dependency Graphing

Constructs a graph where nodes are modules/crates and edges are imports/dependencies. This allows SYNAPSEED to understand the "shape" of your application.

2. Coupling Metrics

Calculates software engineering metrics to assess code quality:

• Instability (I): Ratio of efferent (outgoing) to total coupling.
• Abstractness (A): Ratio of abstract types (traits) to implementation types.
• Distance from Main Sequence (D): Balance between stability and abstractness.

3. Anti-Pattern Detection

Identifies architectural smells:

• Cyclic Dependencies: A -> B -> C -> A. These make code hard to test and refactor.
• God Objects: Files or structs with excessive responsibility (high fan-in/fan-out, high line count).
• Layer Violations: e.g., Domain layer importing from Infrastructure layer (in Clean Architecture).

4. Architecture Score

Synthesizes all metrics into a single grade (A through F) to give a quick health check of the project structure.

Usage

MCP Tool: architect

Trigger a fresh analysis.

synapseed architect --refresh

MCP Tool: consult

Ask architectural questions backed by the project's "DNA" (configuration rules).

synapseed consult "Can I import the database layer from the UI?"

Configuration

You can define architectural rules in .synapseed/dna.yaml. For example, strictly forbidding circular dependencies or defining valid layer interactions.