arela

# Arela v4.0.0 Development Plan ## Vision Statement Transform Arela from a testing tool into a complete **AI-powered CTO platform** that analyzes, refactors, and governs codebases using Vertical Slice Architecture and Multi-Agent Orchestration. --- ## Phase 1: Foundation (v3.7.0) **Timeline:** 3-4 weeks **Goal:** Build the core analysis infrastructure ### Feature 1.1: Multi-Repo Architecture Analyzer **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** Medium **What it does:** - Analyzes codebase architecture (horizontal vs vertical) - Supports multiple repositories (e.g., mobile + backend) - Calculates coupling/cohesion scores - Identifies architectural issues **CLI:** ```bash arela analyze architecture [paths...] arela analyze architecture /Users/Star/stride-mobile /Users/Star/stride-backend ``` **Technical Implementation:** - Static analysis using TypeScript Compiler API - Dependency graph construction - Cross-repo linking via API call detection - Scoring algorithms for coupling/cohesion **Files to Create:** - `src/analyze/architecture.ts` - `src/analyze/coupling.ts` - `src/analyze/cohesion.ts` - `src/analyze/multi-repo.ts` --- ### Feature 6.1: Codebase Ingestion & Mapping **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** High **What it does:** - Builds a complete "map" of the codebase - Static analysis (reads code structure) - Stores in Graph Database for querying **CLI:** ```bash arela ingest codebase --analyze ``` **Technical Implementation:** - TypeScript AST parsing (ts-morph) - Import/export tracking - Function call graph construction - Neo4j or SQLite for graph storage **Files to Create:** - `src/ingest/index.ts` - `src/ingest/static-analyzer.ts` - `src/ingest/graph-builder.ts` - `src/ingest/storage.ts` --- ### Feature 6.5: Tri-Memory System (Basic) **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** Medium **What it does:** - Three types of memory for AI agents: 1. Vector DB - Semantic search (RAG) 2. Graph DB - Structural dependencies 3. Governance Log - Audit trail **CLI:** ```bash arela memory init arela memory query "Where is user authentication logic?" arela memory impact src/auth/login.ts ``` **Technical Implementation:** - Vector DB: Use existing Arela RAG system - Graph DB: SQLite with graph schema - Governance Log: SQLite with audit schema **Files to Create:** - `src/memory/index.ts` - `src/memory/graph.ts` - `src/memory/audit.ts` --- ## Phase 2: Intelligence (v3.8.0) **Timeline:** 3-4 weeks **Goal:** Add AI-powered analysis and recommendations ### Feature 6.2: Autonomous Slice Boundary Detection **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** High **What it does:** - Uses graph clustering algorithms to detect slice boundaries - Identifies high-cohesion, low-coupling clusters - Generates SliceMap.json for refactoring - Requires human approval (HOTL) **CLI:** ```bash arela detect slices --algorithm graph-clustering arela review slices ``` **Technical Implementation:** - Louvain algorithm for community detection - Cohesion/coupling scoring - Cross-repo slice detection - Human approval workflow **Files to Create:** - `src/detect/slices.ts` - `src/detect/clustering.ts` - `src/detect/scoring.ts` - `src/detect/review.ts` --- ### Feature 1.2: API Contract Generator **Priority:** 🟡 HIGH | **Complexity:** Medium **What it does:** - Generates OpenAPI specs from existing code - Validates existing specs against implementation - Detects "schema drift" **CLI:** ```bash arela generate contract --from-code src/api/users.ts arela validate contract openapi.yaml --against src/api/ ``` **Technical Implementation:** - TypeScript type extraction - Route detection (Express, Fastify, etc.) - OpenAPI spec generation - Schema validation **Files to Create:** - `src/generate/contract.ts` - `src/generate/types.ts` - `src/generate/routes.ts` - `src/validate/contract.ts` --- ### Feature 5.3: Test Strategy Optimizer **Priority:** 🟡 HIGH | **Complexity:** Medium **What it does:** - Analyzes current test strategy - Recommends optimal test distribution - Calculates Test Cost metric - Suggests Testcontainers for slice tests **CLI:** ```bash arela analyze tests --recommend-strategy ``` **Technical Implementation:** - Test file analysis - Mock detection and drift analysis - Test cost calculation - Testcontainers setup generator **Files to Create:** - `src/analyze/tests.ts` - `src/analyze/mocks.ts` - `src/analyze/test-cost.ts` - `src/setup/testcontainers.ts` --- ## Phase 3: Automation (v4.0.0) **Timeline:** 4-5 weeks **Goal:** Enable autonomous refactoring with governance ### Feature 3.1: OPA Policy Engine Integration **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** High **What it does:** - Integrates Open Policy Agent for governance - Creates starter policies (architecture, security, quality) - Enforces policies in CI/CD - Blocks bad code automatically **CLI:** ```bash arela init policies arela policy check --commit abc123 ``` **Technical Implementation:** - OPA installation and setup - Policy file generation - Git hook integration - CI/CD integration **Files to Create:** - `src/policies/index.ts` - `src/policies/generator.ts` - `src/policies/checker.ts` - `src/policies/templates/` --- ### Feature 6.6: Policy Enforcement Pipeline **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** High **What it does:** - Runs 4 automated checks on every commit: 1. Contract Validation 2. Test Validation 3. Architectural Integrity 4. Security **CLI:** ```bash arela policy check --commit abc123 ``` **Technical Implementation:** - Contract validation (OpenAPI diff) - Test runner integration - Import analyzer (AST-based) - Security scanner integration **Files to Create:** - `src/enforce/index.ts` - `src/enforce/contract.ts` - `src/enforce/tests.ts` - `src/enforce/architecture.ts` - `src/enforce/security.ts` --- ### Feature 3.2: Multi-Agent Orchestration (Enhanced) **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** Very High **What it does:** - Coordinates multiple AI agents (Architect, Developer, QA) - Human-on-the-Loop (approve plans, not code) - Cyclical workflow (code → test → fix → repeat) - Auto-merge when all policies pass **CLI:** ```bash arela orchestrate --agents architect,developer,qa --task "Add user authentication" ``` **Technical Implementation:** - LangGraph for cyclical orchestration - Agent role definitions - Artifact-based coordination - Human approval workflow **Files to Create:** - `src/orchestrate/enhanced.ts` - `src/orchestrate/agents/` - `src/orchestrate/workflow.ts` - `src/orchestrate/approval.ts` --- ### Feature 6.4: Autonomous Refactor Orchestration **Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL | **Complexity:** Very High **What it does:** - Fully autonomous refactoring from horizontal → VSA - Uses SliceMap.json from Feature 6.2 - Coordinates agents to move files, update imports - Requires human approval per slice **CLI:** ```bash arela refactor autonomous --slices SliceMap.json arela refactor autonomous --slices SliceMap.json --only authentication ``` **Technical Implementation:** - File movement orchestration - Import path updating (AST-based) - Multi-repo coordination - Rollback on failure **Files to Create:** - `src/refactor/autonomous.ts` - `src/refactor/file-mover.ts` - `src/refactor/import-updater.ts` - `src/refactor/rollback.ts` --- ### Feature 6.3: Contract-First Generation **Priority:** 🟡 HIGH | **Complexity:** Medium **What it does:** - Generates OpenAPI specs for each slice - Creates "Slice Cards" (work tickets for agents) **CLI:** ```bash arela generate contracts --from-slices SliceMap.json ``` **Files to Create:** - `src/generate/contracts-from-slices.ts` - `src/generate/slice-card.ts` --- ## Phase 4: Metrics & Polish (v4.1.0) **Timeline:** 2-3 weeks **Goal:** Add metrics, dashboards, and nice-to-haves ### Feature 1.3: Contract Testing Setup (Dredd) **Priority:** 🟡 HIGH | **Complexity:** Low ### Feature 2.3: DORA Metrics Dashboard **Priority:** 🟢 NICE TO HAVE | **Complexity:** Medium ### Feature 3.3: Human Override Rate Tracking **Priority:** 🟢 NICE TO HAVE | **Complexity:** Low ### Feature 5.1: Team Topology Analyzer **Priority:** 🟢 NICE TO HAVE | **Complexity:** Medium --- ## Build Order Summary ### Phase 1 (v3.7.0) - Weeks 1-4 1. Feature 1.1: Architecture Analyzer 2. Feature 6.1: Codebase Ingestion 3. Feature 6.5: Tri-Memory System ### Phase 2 (v3.8.0) - Weeks 5-8 4. Feature 6.2: Slice Boundary Detection 5. Feature 1.2: API Contract Generator 6. Feature 5.3: Test Strategy Optimizer ### Phase 3 (v4.0.0) - Weeks 9-13 7. Feature 3.1: OPA Policy Engine 8. Feature 6.6: Policy Enforcement Pipeline 9. Feature 3.2: Multi-Agent Orchestration 10. Feature 6.4: Autonomous Refactor 11. Feature 6.3: Contract-First Generation ### Phase 4 (v4.1.0) - Weeks 14-16 12. Feature 1.3: Dredd Setup 13. Feature 2.3: DORA Metrics 14. Feature 3.3: Agent Metrics 15. Feature 5.1: Team Topology Analyzer --- ## Total Timeline: 12-16 weeks (3-4 months) **Milestone Releases:** - v3.7.0 (Week 4): Foundation - v3.8.0 (Week 8): Intelligence - v4.0.0 (Week 13): Automation 🎉 - v4.1.0 (Week 16): Polish --- ## Research Foundation This plan is based on 6 research papers: 1. Software Development Approaches Comparison 2. Software Architecture Research Update (2023-2025) 3. AI Multi-Agent Software Development Research 4. Human Refactor: VSA & AI Governance 5. AI Multi-Agent Code Refactoring Framework Key insights: - VSA + Modular Monolith is industry consensus (2024-2025) - Amazon Prime Video: >90% cost reduction moving to monolith - Human-on-the-Loop > Human-in-the-Loop - Policy-as-Code (OPA) enables trustworthy AI - Multi-agent orchestration: 87% cost savings, 70% time savings