Dependency Mapping

Overview

Before changing code, know what depends on it. Dependency mapping reveals the blast radius of your changes.

Core principle: Understand coupling before changing. High coupling = high risk. Map first, change second.

When to Use

Map dependencies when:

• Before refactoring or removing components
• Planning to extract module/service
• Investigating why "simple" changes break things
• Onboarding to unfamiliar codebase
• Deciding what to test after changes

Types of Dependencies