Tech Talk

Tech-Talk Report Card Generator

YOU MUST EXECUTE THIS WORKFLOW. Do not just describe it.

Generate a technical report card with A-F grades across 9 categories for iOS/Swift codebases.

All findings use the Issue Rating Table format. Do not use prose severity tags like [HIGH] or [MED] — always render the full rating table.

Step 1: Before Starting

📖 Run the opening interview from ../shared/session-setup.md § Opening interview. It defines the CLAUDE.md and Timeline questions (plus the timeline grading adjustment) shared by all report-card skills.

Focus question — specific to this skill. Use this as the third question:

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  {
    "question": "Any categories to emphasize or skip?",
    "header": "Focus",
    "options": [
      {"label": "Full analysis (Recommended)", "description": "Grade all 9 categories"},
      {"label": "Skip accessibility", "description": "Not prioritizing accessibility now"},
      {"label": "Emphasize performance", "description": "Users report slowness or battery drain"},
      {"label": "Emphasize security", "description": "Handling sensitive data or preparing for review"}
    ],
    "multiSelect": true
  }

CLAUDE.md summary depth for this skill: 3-5 technical bullets.

Freshness

📖 Read ../shared/scan-discipline.md § Freshness and follow it. In short: current source only, never .agents//scratch//prior reports, with one exception for reading a previous report's grades only in Step 2. The shared file is authoritative — do not re-inline the rule here.

Step 2: Trend Check

Check for a previous report to enable grade trend comparison:

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Glob pattern=".agents/research/*-tech-reportcard.md"

If found, read ONLY the grade summary line from the most recent report. Do not read or reuse any findings — those must come fresh from scanning.

Step 3: Codebase Exploration

Scan the project structure and key configuration files:

1. Project metrics — File counts, LOC (estimate via wc -l), targets, schemes
2. Architecture — Main modules, patterns (MVC/MVVM/etc.), frameworks used
3. App purpose — What the app does, primary user flows
4. State management — How data flows between layers (@Observable, SwiftData, etc.)

Step 4: Automated Scans

Run all grep patterns below before compiling findings. Every section includes false-positive guidance — read flagged files before reporting any finding.

4.1 Architecture

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# Large files (>500 lines) — maintainability signal
# After finding files, check line counts with wc -l
Glob pattern="**/*.swift"

# Missing @MainActor on ObservableObject
# FALSE POSITIVE: ObservableObject subclass that delegates to @MainActor property is fine
Grep pattern="class.*:.*ObservableObject" glob="**/*.swift"

# Deep view body nesting — read file and check body complexity
# Only flag if view body exceeds ~80 lines or has >3 levels of conditional nesting
Grep pattern="var body.*some View" glob="**/*View*.swift"

4.2 Code Quality

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# Force casts — crash risk
# FALSE POSITIVE: as! in test code or after is/guard let check is safe
Grep pattern="as!" glob="**/*.swift"

# Force unwraps (excluding IBOutlets and test files)
# FALSE POSITIVE: dictionary literals, known-safe patterns, test assertions
Grep pattern="[^I]!" glob="**/*.swift"

# Bare try? swallowing errors silently
# FALSE POSITIVE: try? in optional chaining where nil is the expected fallback
# INTENTIONAL: try? for operations where failure is acceptable (e.g., file deletion, optional conversion)
Grep pattern="try\?" glob="**/*.swift"

# TODO/FIXME/HACK markers — self-documented technical debt
# These are INTENTIONAL markers, not bugs. Count them for code health grading
# but do not list individual TODOs as issues in the Issue Rating Table
Grep pattern="(TODO|FIXME|HACK|XXX):" glob="**/*.swift"

4.3 Security

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# Hardcoded secrets
Grep pattern="(api[_-]?key|apikey|secret[_-]?key|client[_-]?secret|password|token)\s*[:=]\s*[\"'][^\"']+[\"']" glob="**/*.swift" -i

# Sensitive data in UserDefaults
Grep pattern="(UserDefaults|@AppStorage).*\b(password|token|secret|apiKey|credential)" glob="**/*.swift" -i

# HTTP URLs (non-HTTPS)
# FALSE POSITIVE: http://localhost, XML namespace URIs, protocol-detection logic
Grep pattern="http://" glob="**/*.swift"

# Logging sensitive data
Grep pattern="(print|NSLog|os_log|Logger).*\b(password|token|secret|key|credential)" glob="**/*.swift" -i

4.4 Performance

NOTE: These patterns produce CANDIDATES. Verify each by reading the file.

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# @Query without predicate (full table scans)
# CLASSIFY: COUNT_ONLY (.count access → use fetchCount), FILTER_THEN_USE, or FULL_ACCESS
# INTENTIONAL: views that genuinely need all records (e.g., "show all items" list) are OK
Grep pattern="@Query\s+(private\s+)?var" glob="**/*.swift"

# Main thread file I/O
# FALSE POSITIVE: FileManager in async methods or Task.detached is fine
# Only flag synchronous file I/O in view body, computed properties, or onAppear
Grep pattern="(FileManager|Data\(contentsOf|String\(contentsOf)" glob="**/*View*.swift"

# Missing [weak self] in closures
# ⚠️ NO LOOKAHEAD — see "Regex constraint" below. These return every closure with a
# capture list; you must read each hit and check whether the list contains weak/unowned.
# FALSE POSITIVE: SwiftUI struct views don't need weak self — only flag in classes
Grep pattern="\{\s*\[" glob="**/*ViewModel*.swift"
Grep pattern="\{\s*\[" glob="**/*Manager*.swift"
Grep pattern="\{\s*\[" glob="**/*Service*.swift"

# Timer usage (potential battery drain)
Grep pattern="Timer\.(scheduledTimer|publish)" glob="**/*.swift"

# Continuous location
Grep pattern="startUpdatingLocation" glob="**/*.swift"

4.5 Concurrency (Swift 6 Readiness)

NOTE: Each hit MUST be verified by reading the file. See Verification Rule below.

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# Missing @MainActor on ViewModel
# ⚠️ NO LOOKAHEAD, and note WHY a line-scoped regex cannot answer this at all:
# `@MainActor` sits ABOVE the declaration, so any same-line test is structurally blind
# to it. Match declarations, then READ each hit.
# ⚠️ When reading, scan the WHOLE attribute stack, not one line up. Real declarations
#    stack 3-4 attributes (`@available` / `@MainActor` / `@Observable` / `final class`),
#    so a 1-line window reports correctly-annotated types as violations. Read until you
#    hit a blank line, a `}`, or an `import`.
# ⚠️ A file named *ViewModel.swift need not CONTAIN a ViewModel — enum namespaces of
#    static helpers are commonly parked there. No type, no finding. Grade on the types
#    this pattern returns, never on the filename inventory.
Grep pattern="(final )?(class|struct) \w*ViewModel" glob="**/*ViewModel.swift"

# Dispatch to main thread (legacy pattern)
# CLASSIFY: animation delay (asyncAfter) vs state update (async) vs layout workaround
# Only state updates without asyncAfter are true migration candidates
Grep pattern="DispatchQueue\.main\.(async|sync)" glob="**/*.swift"

# Actor isolation issues
# FALSE POSITIVE: nonisolated on UIKit delegate protocol methods is REQUIRED
Grep pattern="nonisolated.*func" glob="**/*.swift"

4.6 Accessibility

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# Fixed font sizes (breaks Dynamic Type)
# INTENTIONAL: some hardcoded sizes prevent clipping in constrained containers
# Read each hit — classify as CONFIRMED (should migrate) or INTENTIONAL (constrained layout)
Grep pattern="\.font\(\.system\(size:" glob="**/*.swift"

# Check for accessibilityLabel coverage
Grep pattern="\.accessibilityLabel" glob="**/*.swift" output_mode="count"

# Check for accessibilityIdentifier (UI testing support)
Grep pattern="\.accessibilityIdentifier" glob="**/*.swift" output_mode="count"

# Images that may need accessibility descriptions
# Read flagged files — decorative images should use .accessibilityHidden(true)
Grep pattern="Image\(systemName:" glob="**/*.swift"
Grep pattern="Image\(\"" glob="**/*.swift"

4.7 Testing

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# Test file inventory
Glob pattern="**/*Tests.swift"
Glob pattern="**/*Test.swift"
Glob pattern="**/*UITests*.swift"

# Framework usage
Grep pattern="import Testing" glob="**/*Test*.swift" output_mode="count"
Grep pattern="import XCTest" glob="**/*Test*.swift" output_mode="count"

# Async test support
Grep pattern="@Test.*async" glob="**/*Test*.swift" output_mode="count"

4.8 UI/UX Patterns

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# Deprecated APIs
Grep pattern="@available.*deprecated" glob="**/*.swift"
Grep pattern="UIApplication\.shared\.open" glob="**/*.swift"

# Missing loading/error states — views with async calls but no loading indicator
Grep pattern="\.task\s*\{" glob="**/*View*.swift"

# Platform conditionals — check for consistent behavior
Grep pattern="#if.*os\(" glob="**/*.swift"

4.9 Data & Persistence

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# SwiftData models
Grep pattern="@Model" glob="**/*.swift"

# Migration support
Grep pattern="VersionedSchema" glob="**/*.swift"
Grep pattern="SchemaMigrationPlan" glob="**/*.swift"

# Core Data usage (legacy check)
Grep pattern="NSManagedObject|NSPersistentContainer" glob="**/*.swift"

# UserDefaults for non-trivial data (should use proper persistence)
# INTENTIONAL: simple preferences (theme, sort order, last-opened tab) are appropriate for UserDefaults
Grep pattern="UserDefaults\.standard\.(set|object)" glob="**/*.swift"

Step 5: Verification Rule (CRITICAL)

📖 Read ../shared/scan-discipline.md and follow it in full before compiling any finding. It is the source of truth for three rules this skill depends on:

• § Regex constraint — no lookahead/lookbehind, ever. Look-around matches nothing under the default Grep engine and exits 0, so an un-run scan grades A under Step 6's "0-1 confirmed findings" rule. Silent, and biased toward a flattering grade.
• § Verification Rule — grep produces CANDIDATES; read and classify each hit as CONFIRMED / FALSE_POSITIVE / INTENTIONAL before it becomes a finding. Never report a grep count as an issue count.
• § Reading traps — read the whole attribute stack, not one line up; a filename is not a type.

Do not re-inline those rules here. They are shared with plain-talk specifically so a fix lands in both skills at once.

Step 6: Grading

Grade Scale

Use +/- modifiers (e.g., B+, C-) for granularity. Convert to points: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0 (with +/- as ±0.3).

Category Weights

Overall Grade Calculation

Multiply each category's point value by its weight, sum, and convert back:

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Overall = (Arch × 0.15) + (Quality × 0.10) + (Perf × 0.15) + (Concurrency × 0.10)
        + (Security × 0.15) + (A11y × 0.10) + (Testing × 0.15) + (UI × 0.05) + (Data × 0.05)

Convert: 3.7+ = A-, 3.3-3.69 = B+, 3.0-3.29 = B, 2.7-2.99 = B-, etc.

Timeline Adjustment

• Pre-release: Double-weight Security and Performance findings
• Post-release: Standard weights
• Planning: Double-weight Architecture and Testing findings

Step 7: Output Format

Structure the report as follows. Write to .agents/research/YYYY-MM-DD-tech-reportcard.md.

1. Executive Summary (2-3 sentences)

A narrative overview a developer can read in 10 seconds. Example:

This codebase has clean architecture and strong security practices but carries significant concurrency debt ahead of Swift 6. Testing coverage is the biggest gap — only ViewModels have tests. Accessibility needs attention before App Store submission.

2. CLAUDE.md Summary (if included)

3-5 bullet points from CLAUDE.md. If excluded, note: "CLAUDE.md was excluded per user request."

3. Project Metrics

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Swift Files: 142 | LOC: ~28k | Architecture: MVVM | Persistence: SwiftData
Unit Tests: 47 | UI Tests: 12 | Test Framework: Swift Testing

4. Grade Summary Line

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Overall: B+ (Arch A- | Quality B+ | Perf B | Concurrency B- | Security A | A11y C+ | Testing C+ | UI B+ | Data B)

5. Trend Comparison (if previous report exists)

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vs Previous (YYYY-MM-DD):
  Architecture: B+ → A- (↑) | Testing: C → C+ (↑) | Security: A → A (→)

6. Per-Category Grades

For each category, provide:

• Grade and 1-sentence summary
• Strengths — what's done well (bullet list)
• Findings — confirmed issues only (NOT grep counts)

Example:

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### Architecture: A-
Clean MVVM with proper separation of concerns.

**Strengths:**
- ViewModels use @MainActor correctly for SwiftData access
- Dependency injection via protocols enables testability

**Findings:**
- ItemListViewModel.swift (892 lines) exceeds 500-line threshold
- 2 circular import patterns between Managers/ and Views/

7. Issue Rating Table

Consolidate ALL findings into a single Issue Rating Table, sorted by urgency descending then ROI:

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| # | Finding | Urgency | Risk: Fix | Risk: No Fix | ROI | Blast Radius | Fix Effort |
|---|---------|---------|-----------|-------------|-----|-------------|------------|
| 1 | ... | 🔴 Critical | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 2 | ... | 🟡 High | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

📖 Column definitions, indicator scales, and the one-table hard rule: ../shared/rating-system.md — the source of truth, shared with plain-talk. Quick reference:

• Urgency: 🔴 CRITICAL (pre-launch blocker/crash risk) · 🟡 HIGH (fix before release) · 🟢 MEDIUM (schedule it) · ⚪ LOW (nice-to-have)
• Risk Fix/No Fix: 🔴 Critical · 🟡 High · 🟢 Medium · ⚪ Low
• ROI: 🟠 Excellent · 🟢 Good · 🟡 Marginal · 🔴 Poor
• Blast Radius: 🔴 Critical · 🟡 High · 🟢 Medium · ⚪ Low
• Fix Effort: Trivial / Small / Medium / Large

8. Next Steps

Group by timeline:

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Immediate (This Week):
- [Finding #1] — one-line rationale

Short-term (This Month):
- [Finding #3] — one-line rationale

Medium-term (This Quarter):
- [Finding #5] — one-line rationale

Step 8: Follow-up

📖 Use the menu in ../shared/session-setup.md § Follow-up menu, including its handling of each option. Nothing here diverges from the shared version.

Troubleshooting