# Introduction
MorphArch is a terminal tool for inspecting dependency structure and
architectural drift in large repositories.
It scans Git history, extracts dependency edges from source code, computes
health metrics, and gives you a grouped view of the repository before you drop
into member-level detail.
## What it is for
Large repositories become hard to reason about in two ways at the same time:
- the dependency graph becomes too dense to review directly
- structural drift accumulates faster than teams notice it
MorphArch addresses both problems by combining:
- language-aware dependency extraction
- repository health scoring
- grouped navigation in the terminal
- history replay across commits
## The TUI model
MorphArch is not only a raw graph viewer. The interface is organized into
three levels:
### `Map`
Get a high-level view of the repository.
- cluster overview
- strongest links
- structure summary
### `Cluster details`
Review one subsystem.
- top members or dependencies
- incoming and outgoing link pressure
- selected member or dependency lens
### `Inspect`
Inspect one member or module.
- focused one-hop dependency lens
- centered viewport on the selected node
- raw graph available when you need graph-level debugging
This keeps the UI useful on large repositories without forcing the full
dependency graph on screen all the time.
## What MorphArch helps you review
- **Drift over time**: see when coupling, cycles, or boundary pressure get worse
- **Repository structure**: start from grouped clusters instead of a raw node graph
- **Hotspots and impact**: identify risky modules and inspect likely downstream effects
- **AI-powered analysis**: ask natural language questions about health, coupling, churn, blast radius, and refactoring priorities
- **Project-specific architecture rules**: define boundaries, ignore rules, scan heuristics, clustering, and presentation in `morpharch.toml`
## Who tends to use it
- **Architects** use it to review boundaries and structural pressure.
- **Tech leads** use it to monitor health changes across commits and justify cleanup work.
- **Developers** use it to answer questions like who depends on a module and what it pulls in.
## What is configurable
MorphArch works with zero configuration, but you can override:
- ignore paths and presets
- scan heuristics such as package depth and external dependency visibility
- scoring weights and thresholds
- boundary rules and exemptions
- clustering strategy, families, rules, and constraints
- presentation aliases, kind mode, and color mode
- AI assistant provider, model, token limits, and context budget
See the [Configuration Guide](./guides/configuration) for the full reference
and the [AI Assistant Guide](./guides/ai-assistant) for LLM setup.
## Next steps
1. Read the [Installation](./installation) guide.
2. Follow the [Quick Start](./quick-start).
3. Learn how the [pipeline works](./concepts/how-it-works).
4. Set up the [AI Assistant](./guides/ai-assistant) for natural language analysis.