Guides Beginner2 min read

Onboarding New Developers with Vibgrate Graph

Help new team members learn a codebase quickly using vg ask, vg show, and vg tree to explore structure, follow entry points, and ask natural-language questions offline.

Vibgrate Docs

Vibgrate Help

The hardest part of joining a project is building a mental model of how it fits together. Vibgrate Graph shortens that ramp by letting newcomers explore structure directly instead of reading every file. This guide is for both the new developer and the lead setting them up.

Set up the graph

Have the new developer build the graph from the repository root:

vg build

After the first build, all exploration works offline — no account needed for graph queries.

Ask the codebase questions

When a newcomer does not yet know the right names, natural language is the fastest entry:

vg ask
vg "…"

Replace the quoted text with a real question, such as where requests enter the system or how a feature is implemented. The result is a focused context block that explains the relevant code — and it can be pasted into an AI assistant for a guided explanation.

Explore from an entry point

Once they have a starting node, walk outward to see how behavior flows:

vg tree

This shows what the entry point calls, level by level, giving a map of the feature without manual file hopping. Bound it with --depth to keep it readable.

Zoom into specific pieces

For any node that looks important, vg show explains what it is, what it calls, and what calls it:

vg show

Seeing the callers immediately reveals which functions are central hubs worth learning first.

A suggested onboarding path

Build the graph.
Ask a few natural-language questions about the area you will work in.
Pick an entry point and walk its call tree.
Use vg show on the hubs you keep encountering.
Before your first change, run vg impact to learn the blast radius.

Going further with AI assistance

For a continuous experience, Vibgrate AI Context (via vg serve) serves the code map and version-correct library docs to an AI assistant offline, so a newcomer can ask their assistant accurate questions about the real codebase.

See the articles on asking questions with vg ask, exploring the call tree with vg tree, and impact analysis before a change.

Vibgrate CLI

See a real scan run

A replay of the actual CLI running against our test repositories — live progress, real findings, a genuine DriftScore. Nothing executes in your browser.

Replay

demo@vibgrate — bash

❯ npx @vibgrate/cli scan

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Vibgrate Drift Report │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

── node-turborepo (node) .

Runtime: >=18.0.0 (6 majors behind)

Frameworks:

Turbo: 1.13.4 → 2.10.12 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 1 1-behind 3 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/admin (node) apps/admin

Frameworks:

TanStack Query: 5.102.5 → 5.102.5 (current)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

React DOM: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vite: 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

3 current 9 1-behind 3 2+ behind 4 unknown

── @repo/api (node) apps/api

Frameworks:

Express: 4.22.2 → 5.2.1 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

7 current 5 1-behind 3 2+ behind 4 unknown

── @repo/web (node) apps/web

Frameworks:

Next.js: 14.2.35 → 16.3.3 (2 behind)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

React DOM: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

2 current 6 1-behind 3 2+ behind 5 unknown

── @repo/config (node) packages/config

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

2 current 2 1-behind 5 2+ behind 0 unknown

── @repo/database (node) packages/database

Frameworks:

Prisma: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 0 1-behind 3 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/types (node) packages/types

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

0 current 0 1-behind 1 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/ui (node) packages/ui

Frameworks:

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 4 1-behind 1 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/utils (node) packages/utils

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

0 current 1 1-behind 2 2+ behind 1 unknown

Tech Stack

Frontend: React, React DOM

Meta-frameworks: Next.js

Bundlers: tsx, Turbo, Vite

CSS / UI: Autoprefixer, PostCSS, Tailwind CSS

Backend: Express

ORM / Database: Prisma, Prisma Client

Testing: Vitest

Lint & Format: ESLint, ESLint Prettier, ESLint React, Prettier, typescript-eslint

Services & Integrations

Auth: JWT 9.0.3

Databases: Prisma 5.22.0

TypeScript

v5.3.3 · strict ✔ · MIXED · target: ES2022

Build & Deploy

Package Managers: pnpm

Monorepo: npm-workspaces, pnpm-workspaces, turbo

Product Purpose Signals

Frameworks: react, nextjs

Evidence: 177

Top Signals:

- [heading] Dashboard (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

- [title] Revenue Overview (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

- [copy] workspace:* (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] ./dist (packages/ui/tsconfig.json)

- [copy] ./src/index.ts (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] @repo/config/tsconfig-base.json (packages/ui/tsconfig.json)

- [copy] @repo/ui (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] #3b82f6 (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

Unknowns:

- No pricing or billing evidence found.

- No integrations/connectors evidence found.

- No route structure evidence found.

Security Posture

Lockfile ✖ · .env ✔ · node_modules ✔

Platform

Native modules: turbo

Code Quality

Files: 36 · Functions: 183 · Avg complexity: 2.62 · Avg length: 21.13 lines

Max nesting: 2 · Circular deps: 0 · Dead code: 0%

God files: apps/admin/src/pages/Products (448 lines)

Database Schema

postgresql · 8 models · 1 enum

Models: Address, CartItem, Category, Order, OrderItem (+3 more)

Findings (16 errors, 11 warnings)

✖ Node.js runtime ">=18.0.0" reached end-of-life on 2025-04-30 (latest: 24.0.0).

vibgrate/runtime-eol in .

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in .

✖ 60% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in node-turborepo.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in .

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in .

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/admin

✖ Vite is 3 major versions behind (current: 5.4.21, latest: 8.2.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/admin

✖ vite is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^5.0.12, latest: 8.2.2).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/admin

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/api

✖ Vitest is 3 major versions behind (current: 1.6.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/api

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/api

✖ vitest is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^1.2.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/api

⚠ Next.js is 2 major versions behind (current: 14.2.35, latest: 16.3.3).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/web

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/web

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/web

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/config

✖ 56% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/config.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/config

✖ eslint-plugin-react-hooks is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^4.6.0, latest: 7.1.1).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in packages/config

⚠ Prisma is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.22.0, latest: 7.10.0).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/database

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/database

✖ 75% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/database.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/database

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/types

✖ 100% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/types.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/types

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/ui

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/utils

✖ Vitest is 3 major versions behind (current: 1.6.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/utils

✖ 67% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/utils.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/utils

✖ vitest is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^1.2.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in packages/utils

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Top Priority Actions │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

1. Upgrade EOL runtime in node-turborepo

End-of-life runtimes no longer receive security patches and block ecosystem upgrades.

./.

>=18.0.0 → 24.0.0 (6 majors behind)

Impact: −10 drift points (runtime & EOL)

2. Fix security posture: no lockfile found

Without a lockfile, installs are non-deterministic. Run the install command to generate one and commit it.

Missing: package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, or yarn.lock

3. Upgrade Vite 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 in @repo/admin (+2 more)

3 major versions behind. Major framework drift increases breaking change risk and blocks access to security fixes and performance improvements.

./apps/admin

Vite: 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 (3 majors behind)

./apps/api

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 majors behind)

./packages/utils

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 majors behind)

Impact: −5–15 drift points

4. Reduce dependency rot in @repo/types (100% severely outdated)

1 of 1 dependencies are 2+ majors behind. Run `npm outdated` and prioritise packages with known CVEs or breaking API changes.

./packages/types

typescript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 majors behind)

Impact: −5–10 drift points

5. Reduce dependency rot in @repo/database (75% severely outdated)

3 of 4 dependencies are 2+ majors behind. Run `npm outdated` and prioritise packages with known CVEs or breaking API changes.

./packages/database

@prisma/client: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 majors behind)

prisma: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 majors behind)

typescript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 majors behind)

Impact: −5–10 drift points

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Architecture Layers │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

Archetype: nextjs (80% confidence)

Files classified: 24 (11 unclassified)

Folders classified: 8

apps/admin/src presentation 100% 4 files

apps/admin/src/pages presentation 100% 2 files

apps/api/src/middleware middleware 100% 2 files

apps/api/src/routes routing 100% 2 files

apps/web/src/app presentation 100% 4 files

apps/web/src/app/products presentation 100% 2 files

apps/web/src/app/products/[id] presentation 100% 1 file

packages/ui/src presentation 100% 6 files

Unclassified source (sample): 11

presentation 15 files drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

routing 4 files drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

middleware 2 files drift ███████▍░░░░░░░░░░░░ 37 risk moderate

config 2 files drift ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0 risk none

shared 1 file drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ DriftScore Summary │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

DriftScore: 66/100

Risk Level: HIGH

Projects: 9

Classified: 8 nano · 1 micro · 0 small · 0 standard

Billable: 0.42 · 9 detected → 0.42 billable projects (micro-project pricing)

0.1 micro · 0.32 nano

These fractions add up across repositories, then round down to whole billable projects.

Score Breakdown

Runtime: ████████████████████ 100

Frameworks: █████████▏░░░░░░░░░░ 46

Dependencies: ██████▏░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 31

EOL Risk: ████████████████████ 100

Scanned at 2026-08-26T09:08:28.481Z · 7.1s · 286 files scanned · 56 workspace files · 27 dirs

❯

Press Run to start.

Explore the Vibgrate CLI

Set up the graph

Ask the codebase questions

Explore from an entry point

Zoom into specific pieces

A suggested onboarding path

Going further with AI assistance

Related

Topics

Next Steps

Keeping Your Code Graph Up to Date

Using Vibgrate Graph for Code Review

Refactoring Safely with Vibgrate Graph

Using Vibgrate Graph in Monorepos

See a real scan run