Name the entry point
Where does this workflow actually start — a route handler, an event listener, a scheduled job?
TRACE WORKFLOW BEFORE YOU CHANGE IT
Execution Flow Explainer
Structure a trace of control flow, data transformations, and side effects through a selected workflow before modifying it.
- Uses your inputs in a transparent calculation
- Instant result with practical next steps
- No signup required
Planning guidance only. Validate important decisions with customer evidence and your delivery team.
YOUR INPUTS
Build your result
Complete every field. The result updates only when you choose Calculate.
How it works
Trace control flow and data shape
Walk the sequence of steps and note how the data's shape changes along the way.
List every side effect
DB writes, external calls, emails, and emitted events are the parts most likely to break silently if missed.
Continue learning: Understanding code before you change it
Frequently asked questions
Why trace this before making a change?
A change that looks isolated in one function can still break a downstream side effect you didn't know the flow triggered — tracing first surfaces that before you ship, not after.
What counts as a side effect?
Anything that changes state outside the function's return value — database writes, API calls, emails, queued jobs, or emitted events.
Is this the same as writing documentation?
It can become documentation, but its immediate purpose is as a working trace for the specific change you're about to make — accurate now, not necessarily maintained forever.
How is completeness scored?
Each of the four sections is checked against a minimum length threshold; the score is the percentage of sections with enough real content.
How We Compare
| Feature | MVPHub | Sourcegraph | GitHub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structured 4-part flow trace | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Explicit side-effect checklist | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Completeness scoring | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Captures side effects a call graph alone won't show | Included | Not included | Not included |
Sourcegraph can generate call graphs automatically across a large codebase. This tool is for structuring your own understanding of one specific workflow before changing it, including the side effects a call graph alone won't show.
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