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Trace a CLI flag in an open-source tool

Ask your agent to locate where a documented flag is parsed — on a repo you already cloned.

Teaching pattern only. Always respect licenses and authorization. · Compliance

Goal

Map flag → parser → call site with file:line evidence.

Why reverse engineer

You want a patch and need the real control flow, not a guess from README marketing.

Sample prompt

› Use REA on /absolute/path/to/my-clone. Find where --verbose is parsed and which functions read that setting. Cite paths and symbols. Stop after the report — do not modify files.

Evidence path (illustrative)

Staggered reveal of a typical inspection chain.

flag --verbose

parse parseArgs()

use Logger.setLevel()

Return channel

REA returns Evidence / structured results into the agent session (MCP tools or CLI JSON).

Agent role

Interpret Evidence, explain the rule, list unknowns. Writes stay behind your approval.

Suggested steps

Point at a local tree you may inspect

Prefer projects you own, maintain, or that are MIT/Apache licensed and already on disk.

Ask for Evidence, not vibes

Require symbols, paths, and unresolved edges. Treat unknowns as TODOs for you.

Human verifies, then edits

Open the cited files yourself before accepting a patch plan.

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