fallow-rs/fallow: README-based editorial guide

fallow-rs/fallow describes itself in the README as "Codebase intelligence for TypeScript and JavaScript. Free static analysis of code and styles: unused code, duplication, circular deps, complexity hotspots, architecture boundaries, design-system drift.". This article keeps to facts that can be checked in the repository. Stars, forks, and promotional badges are signals of attention, not proof of quality. Under "README", the README says: One binary finds unused code, circular dependencies, duplication, complexity hotspots, boundary violations, and design-system styling drift. An optional paid layer, Fallow Runtime, adds production execution evidence.. That establishes the project's stated boundary, not a production test.

The README's "What fallow reports" section gives a useful starting point for deciding whether the project fits: Circular dependencies and re-export cycles, part of fallow dead-code. If that problem is not yours, popularity is a poor reason to adopt it. Project names, commands, and component names are kept as written so a reader can return to the primary source without guessing at terminology. Another checkable README item is: Unused files, exports, types, enum and class members, and dependencies. It can shape a first test, but it does not replace testing in the intended environment.

The operating model is spread across sections such as "README". The source evidence includes: Excerpt from fallow audit on the vitest monorepo, auditing its last 15 commits. fallow 3.5.0, warm base-snapshot cache. The gate passed: the 163 inherited findings are pre-existing and excluded by design, so they do not block the change.. This article does not turn missing architecture, performance, or security details into claims. A real deployment still needs a look at the repository layout, configuration files, and release history.

Start installation from the README's documented entry point. A command that can be checked in the source is: # Zero-install, full pipeline (dead code + duplication + health) npx fallow # Gate only what a PR changed npx fallow audit # Install as a devDependency npm install --save-dev fallow # For agents and scripts: exit 0 and 1 both mean the run succeeded (1 = findings); # exit 2 is a real error, reported as a JSON envelope on stdout npx fallow audit --format json --quiet 2>/dev/null When the README contains no runnable command, this article does not invent one. Open its "What fallow reports" section and confirm system dependencies, default ports, and first-run initialization before using a public server.