Greptile builds a complete graph of your codebase to understand how code changes affect other parts of your system, enabling context-aware code reviews that catch issues traditional tools miss.

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Why Codebase Context Matters

Most code review tools analyze files in isolation, missing critical relationships:

Without Context:

// Reviewing this function alone
function updateUserEmail(userId: string, email: string) {
  return db.users.update(userId, { email });
}
// ❌ Misses: validation patterns, error handling, related functions

With Context:

// Greptile sees the bigger picture
function updateUserEmail(userId: string, email: string) {
  return db.users.update(userId, { email });
  // ✅ Notices: other update functions validate input
  // ✅ Notices: similar functions handle errors  
  // ✅ Notices: email updates trigger notifications elsewhere
}

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Codebase Indexing

When you sign up, Greptile builds a complete graph of your repository containing every code element:

Legend: 🔵 Files • 🟢 Functions • 🟡 External calls/variables

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Indexing Process

1

Repository Scanning

Parses every file to extract directories, files, functions, classes, variables

2

Relationship Mapping

Connects all elements: function calls, imports, dependencies, variable usage

3

Graph Storage

Stores the complete graph for instant querying during code reviews

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How Greptile Analyzes Functions

When reviewing a changed function foo(x), Greptile queries the graph to understand:

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1. Function Dependencies

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2. Function Usage

// Greptile finds everywhere foo() is called
function foo(x: string) {
  return processData(x);
}

// Usage sites discovered:
// ✅ components/UserForm.tsx:45  
// ✅ services/DataService.ts:12
// ✅ tests/integration.test.ts:78
// → Impact analysis: changes will affect 3 files

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3. Pattern Consistency

// When reviewing this SQL function:
function getUserById(id: string) {
  return db.query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $1', [id]);
}

// Greptile checks other SQL functions:
// ✅ getUserByEmail() - uses parameterized queries ✓
// ❌ getOrderById() - uses string concatenation ⚠️  
// → Suggests: "Use parameterized queries like other DB functions"

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Real-time Graph Queries

Every time a file is reviewed, Greptile queries the pre-built graph:

// When reviewing this change:
function updateUserProfile(userId: string, data: UserData) {
  // New code being reviewed
}

// Greptile instantly knows:
// 📍 Import dependencies: UserData interface, validation utils
// 📍 Function calls: database.update(), validateUserData()  
// 📍 Callers: ProfileController.update(), AdminPanel.updateUser()
// 📍 Similar patterns: updateUserEmail(), updateUserSettings()

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Why This Approach Works

Complete Context

Reviews consider the entire codebase, not just changed files

Pattern Recognition

Finds inconsistencies and suggests improvements based on existing code

Impact Analysis

Identifies all code that could be affected by changes

The graph-based approach transforms code review from isolated file analysis into comprehensive system understanding, catching issues that would otherwise slip through traditional reviews.