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Compose one evidence bundle before editing a file or exported symbol. inspect is designed for agents that need the same context as the MCP inspect_target tool without starting an MCP session.

fallow inspect --file src/api.ts --format json --quiet
fallow inspect --symbol src/api.ts:fetchUser --format json --quiet

Target

Choose exactly one target form:

Flag	Description
`--file <PATH>`	Inspect a project-relative file.
`--symbol <FILE:EXPORT>`	Inspect one exported symbol, for example `src/api.ts:fetchUser`. Supporting dead-code, duplication, complexity, and security evidence is file-scoped in the first version.

Evidence flags

Flag	Description
`--symbol-chain`	Also attach the best-effort symbol-level call chain (the same data as `fallow trace`) as a `symbol_chain` evidence section. Only meaningful for a symbol target. Default off (best-effort, syntactic, off the ranked path).

Output

Format	Description
`human`	Compact target and identity summary.
`json`	Machine-readable `kind: "inspect_target"` bundle with normalized target identity and evidence sections. Use this from agents.

$ fallow inspect --file src/api.ts --format json --quiet

{
  "kind": "inspect_target",
  "target": {
    "type": "file",
    "file": "src/api.ts"
  },
  "identity": {
    "file": "src/api.ts",
    "is_reachable": true,
    "is_entry_point": false,
    "export_count": 3,
    "import_count": 2,
    "imported_by_count": 1
  },
  "evidence": {
    "trace_file": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} },
    "dead_code": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} },
    "duplication": { "status": "ok", "scope": "project_filtered_to_file", "data": {} },
    "complexity": { "status": "ok", "scope": "project_filtered_to_file", "data": {} },
    "security": { "status": "ok", "scope": "file", "data": {} }
  },
  "warnings": []
}

Each evidence section carries a status (ok or error) and scope. Non-fatal child-analysis failures are reported as section-level errors plus a warning, so the caller can still use the rest of the bundle. inspect accepts the project and performance flags (--root, --config, --workspace, --production, --no-cache, --threads). See global flags for the full list.

MCP parity

The MCP inspect_target tool uses the same CLI flow and returns the same JSON shape. Prefer the CLI when you are already in a shell or editor command, and MCP when an agent is already connected to the server.

fallow trace

The call-chain data --symbol-chain attaches.

MCP integration

Use the inspect_target tool from AI coding agents.

Commands

fallow inspect

Target

Evidence flags

Output

MCP parity

See also

fallow trace

MCP integration

​Target

​Evidence flags

​Output

​MCP parity

​See also

fallow trace

MCP integration

Target

Evidence flags

Output

MCP parity

See also