PAL (Personal Analysis Lab)

PAL is a local Python understanding tool. It helps learners and working developers inspect Python files, understand structure and flow, and surface likely assumptions and caution areas.

PAL 1.0 Mission

• Explanatory before corrective.
• Focus on understanding Python code, not assembling/generating code.
• Keep inferences grounded and cautious.

What PAL Is

• Python dissection and explanation CLI.
• Beginner-friendly GUI wrapper over the same analysis pipeline.
• Structured component/flow/relationship analyzer for single-file understanding.

What PAL Is Not

• Not an assembly-first code generator.
• Not a runtime debugger/tracer.
• Not a replacement IDE.

Core 1.0 Workflows

• explain
• test / inspect workflow
• components
• compare
• conflicts
• suggest

Legacy commands (plan, route, assemble) remain as compatibility/advanced structure-mapping surfaces.

Quick Start

CLI

python pal.py help
python pal.py explain modules/11_json_parser.py --detailed
python pal.py explain modules/11_json_parser.py --components
python pal.py explain modules/11_json_parser.py --component parse_json --section flow

Sample Scripts

PAL includes sample Python scripts in modules/ that you can use immediately to try the main workflows, including explain, test, components, and compare.

GUI

python pal_gui.py

Fresh-Clone vs Legacy/Advanced Paths

PAL's supported fresh-clone starting point is the core workflows above, using the sample scripts in modules/.

Some preserved legacy or advanced paths remain in the repository for compatibility, feature work, or structure-mapping workflows. Those surfaces are intentionally kept, but they are not the default beginner path for PAL 1.0.

Because of that, not every historical command, test, or example is guaranteed to succeed on a brand-new clone without seeded catalog state, older artifacts, or feature-work data.

For a clean first run:

• start with help, explain, test, components, and compare
• use the bundled sample scripts in modules/
• treat legacy/advanced commands as optional rather than required for the core PAL experience

See docs/HELP.md for a safe starting path and practical command examples.

PAL 1.0 Checkpoint

See the release-readiness checkpoint and known limitations:

• PAL 1.0 Checkpoint

License

PAL is source-available and intended to remain free and educational.

You may use, study, modify, and share PAL and noncommercial derivative works under the terms of the project license, provided that attribution to the original project and author is preserved.

You may not commercialize PAL or derivative works based on PAL.

Forks and derivative projects must not imply that they are the official PAL project or endorsed by the original author unless permission is explicitly given.

See LICENSE and PROJECT_IDENTITY.md.

Development Note

PAL was developed with AI-assisted implementation support. Project direction, product boundaries, architecture, and refinement were led by the author.