# detect_drift Detect architectural drift: cross-module co-change anomalies (files in different modules that always change together) and shotgun surgery patterns (commits touching 3+ modules). Requires git. Use to identify hidden coupling across modules. For file-pair co-changes use get_co_changes instead. Read-only. Returns JSON: { anomalies, shotgunSurgery, total }. Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `detect_drift`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/detect-drift ## Facts - Tool: `detect_drift` - Server: Trace (`nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp.md - Homepage: https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp - Risk category: Read (Low risk) - Registry record: grade F, identity unverified - Server rate-limited: no - Parameters: 0 - Recommended policy verdict: Allowed ## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0) ```json { "jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/call", "params": { "name": "detect_drift", "arguments": {} } } ``` ## Why detect_drift is rated Low This tool queries and analyzes existing git metadata and source code relationships to surface insights about coupling patterns. It retrieves and processes information from the dependency graph and git history but makes no modifications to code, configuration, or any system state. The explicit 'Read-only' designation confirms this is a safe read operation for intelligence gathering and analysis purposes. From the tool's own definition: "Tool description explicitly states 'Read-only' and performs analysis of existing git history to detect patterns. Returns JSON data without modifying code, configuration, or repository state." ## Use case AI agents call detect_drift to retrieve information from Trace without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere. ## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer) Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Trace: ```json { "version": "1", "default": "deny", "tools": { "detect_drift": {} } } ``` ## Other tools on Trace (190) - `delete_corpus` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/delete-corpus.md - `remove_dead_code` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/remove-dead-code.md - `repair_index` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/repair-index.md - `call_project_tool` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/call-project-tool.md - `reindex` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/reindex.md - `visualize_graph` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/visualize-graph.md - `analyze_perf` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/analyze-perf.md - `assess_change_risk` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/assess-change-risk.md - `audit_config` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/audit-config.md - `benchmark_project` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/benchmark-project.md - `check_architecture` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-architecture.md - `check_claudemd_drift` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-claudemd-drift.md - `check_duplication` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-duplication.md - `check_edit_safe` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-edit-safe.md - `check_embedding_drift` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-embedding-drift.md - `check_quality_gates` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-quality-gates.md - `check_rename` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/check-rename.md - `compare_branches` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/compare-branches.md - `detect_antipatterns` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/detect-antipatterns.md - `detect_ast_clones` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/detect-ast-clones.md - `detect_communities` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/detect-communities.md - `detect_topic_tunnels` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/detect-topic-tunnels.md - `diff_graph_snapshots` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/diff-graph-snapshots.md - `discover_claude_sessions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/discover-claude-sessions.md - `discover_hermes_sessions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/discover-hermes-sessions.md - `embed_repo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/embed-repo.md - `explain_architecture` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/explain-architecture.md - `explain_symbol` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/explain-symbol.md - `export_decisions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/export-decisions.md - `export_graph` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp/export-graph.md - …and 160 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp.md ## For agents This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry: - Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack` - Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md) - Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events` --- Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/nikolai-vysotskyi-trace-mcp