Codebase Learn

Codebase Learn

Two-phase codebase understanding:

1. C++ tool (learn_codebase): AST extraction, provenance, hierarchical state
2. Claude: High-level SSL patterns for architecture and relationships

[codebase-learn] tool + understanding

phase1: learn_codebase→tree-sitter→symbols+triplets+hierarchy
  handles: parsing, storage, provenance, staleness tracking
  output: Symbol nodes, file→contains→symbol triplets, ModuleState

phase2: Claude→architecture→SSL patterns
  handles: why, how, relationships between components
  output: Wisdom nodes with [LEARN] markers

Supported Languages

Tree-sitter parsers available:

• C/C++: .c, .h, .cpp, .hpp, .cc, .cxx, .hxx
• Python: .py, .pyw
• JavaScript/TypeScript: .js, .jsx, .mjs, .ts, .tsx
• Go: .go
• Rust: .rs
• Java: .java
• Ruby: .rb
• C#: .cs

Usage

Step 1: Run learn_codebase

chitta learn_codebase --path /path/to/project --project myproject

This single command:

• Finds all supported source files (excludes build dirs, node_modules, etc.)
• Extracts symbols with tree-sitter AST
• Creates Symbol nodes with provenance (source_path, hash)
• Creates triplets (file contains symbol, scope contains method)
• Bootstraps hierarchical state (ProjectEssence + ModuleState)
• Registers files for staleness tracking

Output:

Learned codebase: myproject

Files: 47 analyzed (of 52 found)
Symbols: 1234 stored
Triplets: 2567 created
Modules: 15 bootstrapped

Hierarchical State Modules:
  Mind @include/chitta/mind.hpp
  Storage @include/chitta/storage.hpp
  ...

Step 2: Add SSL Patterns (Claude)

After learn_codebase runs, I add architectural understanding:

[LEARN] [myproject] Mind→orchestrator→recall/observe/grow API
[ε] Central class managing tiered storage + embeddings + graph. @mind.hpp:52
[TRIPLET] Mind uses TieredStorage
[TRIPLET] Mind uses HierarchicalState
[TRIPLET] Mind provides recall

[LEARN] [myproject] HierarchicalState→token compression→3-level injection
[ε] L0=ProjectEssence(50t) + L1=ModuleState(20t) + L2=PatternState(10t)
[TRIPLET] HierarchicalState contains ProjectEssence
[TRIPLET] injection_protocol saves tokens

SSL captures what AST can't:

• Why a component exists
• How components relate architecturally
• Patterns and design decisions

Incremental Updates

When code changes:

# Re-learn (only re-analyzes changed files with incremental: true default)
chitta learn_codebase --path /path/to/project

# Force full re-index if needed
chitta learn_codebase --path /path/to/project --force true

Incremental tracking means:

• Each file hash is stored
• Re-analysis only processes changed files by default
• Use --force true to re-index everything

Token Savings

Traditional: inject full code context (~thousands of tokens)

Smart context approach:

• Codebase overview provides high-level structure
• Symbol search finds specific definitions
• Semantic search with embeddings finds related code
• Result: targeted context vs full file dumps

View codebase structure:

chitta codebase_overview --project myproject

Example: Learning cc-soul

# Step 1: C++ tool does the heavy lifting
chitta learn_codebase --path /path/to/cc-soul/chitta --project cc-soul

# Step 2: I add architectural SSL
[LEARN] [cc-soul] chitta→semantic memory substrate→tiered storage + SSL + triplets
[ε] C++ daemon: hot/warm/cold storage, JSON-RPC socket, Hebbian learning.
[TRIPLET] chitta contains Mind
[TRIPLET] Mind orchestrates recall
[TRIPLET] Mind orchestrates observe

[LEARN] [cc-soul] provenance→staleness tracking→source_path+hash→Fresh|MaybeStale|Stale
[ε] Two-phase: immediate MaybeStale marking, background verification.
[TRIPLET] Node has provenance
[TRIPLET] provenance tracks staleness

Semantic Enrichment (Background)

The daemon automatically generates semantic descriptions for symbols using OpenCode:

# Check enrichment status
chitta soul_context  # Shows pending count at startup

# Query described symbols
chitta recall --query "memory storage class" --tag code-intel

Enrichment progress:

• Daemon processes ~10 symbols every 2 minutes
• Priority: classes → functions → methods
• Each symbol gets a 1-2 sentence description
• Enables semantic search: "persistent storage" → DuckDBStore @duckdb_store.hpp:45

Daemon options:

chittad daemon --enrich-interval 2 --enrich-batch 10  # defaults
chittad daemon --no-enrich  # disable enrichment

Benefits

After running:

• recall("Mind architecture") → finds Symbol nodes AND architectural SSL
• recall("memory storage") → finds enriched code descriptions
• codebase_overview --project cc-soul → see full structure at a glance
• query --subject Mind → find all Mind relationships
• search_symbols --query "storage" → semantic search across symbols

The soul knows both structure (symbols) and meaning (SSL + semantic descriptions).