Workflow: Reverse Engineering

The most powerful capability of the MCP Server is "Reverse Engineering"—the ability to take an existing codebase and automatically generate a high-quality VibeMap project plan from it.

The Sync Workflow

Follow this sequence to bring a local project into VibeMap.

1. Create a "Shell" Project

First, create an empty project in the VibeMap web app. You don't need a detailed prompt yet; just a name. Copy the projectId from the URL.

2. Connect the MCP Server

Ensure your claude_desktop_config.json is correctly set up and Claude is restarted.

3. Initiate the Scan

Ask Claude to scan your local folder and sync it to the project.

Example Prompt:

"Sync my local directory /Users/ash/code/my-new-app to my VibeMap project with ID UUID_HERE."

4. What Happens Next

1. Codebase Walk: The MCP server uses scan_codebase to get the file tree.

2. Logic Extraction: Claude analyzes the file names and content to infer functionality.

3. Entity Mapping: Claude groups the code into "Features" and "User Stories".

4. API Call: The sync_to_vibemap tool sends these definitions to the VibeMap backend.

Best Practices for Syncing

• Clean Repository: Ensure you don't have large node_modules or build artifacts in the path you are scanning. The scanner ignores standard .gitignore patterns, but smaller paths result in faster analysis.

• Incremental Sync: You can run the sync multiple times as your code evolves. VibeMap will attempt to match existing names to avoid duplicates.

• Verify in Dashboard: After the sync completes, open VibeMap to review the generated artifacts. You will often find that the AI has correctly identified complex business logic just from your folder structure and code patterns.

Success Indicators

You know the reverse engineering was successful when:

• The Features tab in VibeMap is populated with modules matching your code.

• The User Stories are detailed and accurately describe what your functions are doing.

• Acceptance Criteria are generated that reflect your existing code's logic.