Code Buster

Multi-language repository architecture and static-analysis CLI

About · Installation · Current Status · Documentation · Contributing

About

Code Buster reports dependency wiring, dead code, cycles, duplication, complexity, architecture-policy violations, feature flags, security and style heuristics, quality scores, and remediation plans.

This directory contains the canonical Dart implementation. Its executable is cb, its configuration file is code-buster.toml, and the workspace installer builds it from local source.

One command. A clearer codebase.

Run Code Buster from the root of any repository:

cb

That is enough to get a repository-wide summary. Code Buster points out dependencies, duplication, complexity, hotspots, and possible drift so you and your coding agents can reuse what already exists and keep the codebase easier to understand as it grows.

Installation

Building Code Buster from source requires Dart 3.11 or newer. Native packages do not require Dart.

Homebrew (macOS)

Install the native Apple Silicon build from the Tool Bunker tap:

brew install tool-bunker/tap/code-buster
cb version

Install script (macOS and Linux)

Install the native Apple Silicon macOS or x86-64 Linux build:

curl -fsSL https://codebuster.toolbunker.dev/install | sh

Windows

Install the native x86-64 build from PowerShell:

irm https://codebuster.toolbunker.dev/install.ps1 | iex

Both scripts verify the release archive against the published SHA-256 checksum and install under the current user's ~/.local/bin directory.

Dart and Flutter

Install the published package when Dart 3.11 or newer is already available:

dart pub global activate code_buster
cb version

Ensure $HOME/.pub-cache/bin is on PATH when using Dart global activation.

Updating

Update an existing installation through its original package channel:

cb update

Homebrew installations use brew upgrade; pub.dev installations use dart pub global activate; native macOS and Linux installations download the published installer and retain checksum verification. Use cb update --dry-run to inspect the selected update path. Source builds are never overwritten. Native Windows installations print the safe PowerShell installer command because a running Windows executable cannot replace itself.

Local source build

dart pub get
dart compile exe bin/cb.dart -o build/cb
./build/cb version

Install the local checkout with ../install-code-buster.sh.

Is Code Buster a linter?

Not quite. A linter usually focuses on one language and local code issues. Code Buster steps back and looks at the repository as a whole.

It can report lint-like issues, but it is mainly built to show:

• how files and modules are connected;
• what a change might affect;
• where code is duplicated or starting to drift;
• which parts of the repository need attention;
• when code bypasses an existing boundary, component, or design token.

Code Buster works alongside tools such as dart analyze, ESLint, Clang-Tidy, and compiler diagnostics. It does not replace them.

Current Status

Overall status: 0.3.0. The Dart implementation is the canonical runtime and passes strict analysis, the complete test suite, native compilation, documentation validation, self-analysis, and multi-repository precision checks.

The circles show current implementation depth and real-world validation. They are a guide, not a guarantee.

Language	Depth	Real-world validation
Dart	●●●●●	●●●●●
C#	●●●●○	●●●●●
Java	●●●●○	●●●●●
Nim	●●●●○	●○○○○
Python	●●●●○	●○○○○
C/C++ and Objective-C	●●●○○	●○○○○
Go	●●●○○	●○○○○
JavaScript and TypeScript	●●●○○	●●●●●
Lua and Luau	●●●○○	●○○○○
SQL, PostgreSQL, and MySQL	●●●○○	●○○○○
Wren	●●●○○	●○○○○
CSS	●●○○○	●○○○○
HTML	●●○○○	●○○○○
Rust	●●●○○	○○○○○
Mojo	●●●○○	○○○○○

Depth measures how much useful analysis is implemented. Real-world validation measures testing against external repositories, including review of false positives, missed findings, and the rule improvements that follow.

Help develop Code Buster by running it on real repositories and reporting what you find. Even languages with high depth still need much more real-world testing. Reports of false positives, missed problems, and confusing results are especially useful.

Contributing

Open pull requests against develop. The main branch is reserved for reviewed release changes and coordinated hotfixes. See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full contribution contract.