stellarion_dependency_drift [Pro]

Detects how dependencies have changed for a set of modified files. Reports new dependencies added, dependencies removed, fan-out increases or decreases, and circular dependency status. Compares the current state against the previously indexed graph.

When to Use

• After modifying files to verify no unintended dependencies were introduced
• During code review to spot dependency creep
• To detect accidental circular dependencies before they are merged
• As part of a post-refactor validation step

Parameters

Examples

Check dependency changes after editing

I just modified src/services/payment.ts and src/services/order.ts — did I introduce any new dependencies?

Reports any new imports, removed imports, and whether fan-out increased.

Detect circular dependencies

Check if my changes to src/core/ introduced any circular dependencies.

The agent collects the changed files in src/core/ and passes them to the tool.

Post-refactor validation

I moved code from utils.ts into helpers.ts. Check for dependency drift.

Detects whether the move changed the dependency graph in unexpected ways.

Output Format

For each file analyzed:

• New dependencies — modules this file now imports that it did not before
• Removed dependencies — modules this file no longer imports
• Fan-out change — increase or decrease in the number of outgoing dependencies
• Circular dependency status — whether any new circular dependencies were introduced, with the full cycle path if so

Summary

• Total new dependencies across all files
• Total removed dependencies
• Net fan-out change
• Circular dependencies introduced (count and paths)

Tips

• Run this after every significant edit session to catch dependency creep early
• A fan-out increase is not always bad — but consistent increases across many files signal growing coupling
• Circular dependencies are flagged with the full cycle path (e.g., A -> B -> C -> A) so you can decide where to break the cycle
• Pair with stellarion_assess_change_risk before making changes and stellarion_dependency_drift after to get a before-and-after picture
• Re-index changed files first (stellarion_index_files) if you want the drift analysis to reflect your latest edits