ax/CLAUDE.md

# CLAUDE.md

This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.

## Project

Axolotl (`ax`) is a CLI-native issue tracker built in Go, using a local SQLite file (`.ax.db`) as its database. It's designed for use by individuals and AI agents, with JSON output support for machine integration.

## Commands

```bash
go build -o ax .        # Build the binary
go test ./...           # Run all tests (e2e_test.go covers most functionality)
go test -run TestName . # Run a single test by name
```

## Architecture

The codebase has three distinct layers:

### 1. `cmd/` — CLI layer (Cobra)
Parses flags into typed input structs and calls the service layer. `root.go` handles alias expansion (including `$me`, `$@`, `$1`-`$N` variable substitution) and wires up the `NodeService`. Also contains `output.go` for colored terminal output and JSON serialization.

### 2. `service/` — Business logic
`NodeService` is the central interface (`service/node_service.go`). The implementation (`node_service_impl.go`) enforces:
- Permission model via `getPermContext()` — BFS from the user's own node following permission rels
- Blocker validation (can't close an issue with open blockers)
- `@mention` extraction → automatic edge creation
- Single-value relation enforcement (`assignee`, `in_namespace`)
- Auto-creation of referenced user/namespace nodes

### 3. `store/` — Persistence and configuration
`GraphStore` interface wraps SQLite with graph primitives: nodes, tags, and typed directed edges. Schema is 3 tables (`nodes`, `tags`, `rels`). All multi-step ops use `store.Transaction()`. Also contains `Config` for user settings, aliases, and session management.

## Core Data Model

**Node**: a graph node with a 5-char ID, title, content, `Tags []string`, and `Relations map[string][]string`.

**Property tags** use the `_key::value` pattern: `_type::issue|note|user|namespace`, `_status::open|done`, `_prio::high|medium|low`.

**Relation types** (`models/rel_type.go`): `blocks`, `subtask`, `related`, `assignee` (single-value), `in_namespace` (single-value), `created`, `mentions`, `can_read`, `can_create_rel`, `can_write`, `has_ownership`.

**Permission model**: Four inclusive levels (1–4). Transitive via BFS from user's self-owned node. `can_read`=1, `can_create_rel`=2, `can_write`=3, `has_ownership`=4. Creator auto-gets `has_ownership` on every new node. Users self-own. Deleting a node cascades to all nodes it owns. User/namespace nodes are globally readable.

## Config

The CLI searches upward from CWD for an `.ax` directory (like git), falling back to `~/.config/ax/` for config and `~/.local/share/ax/` for data. The `AX_USER` env var overrides the configured username. The database file `ax.db` is similarly discovered by walking upward.