RE-cue User Guides

Complete documentation for using RE-cue to reverse engineer and document your codebase.

📚 Available Guides

🚀 Getting Started

Start here if you’re new to RE-cue

• Quick 5-minute setup
• Your first analysis
• Understanding output files
• Common questions answered

Time to complete: 30 minutes

📖 Complete User Guide

Comprehensive reference for all features

• Installation options (Python, Bash, GitHub Action)
• Complete command reference
• All documentation types explained
• Framework support guide
• Advanced features walkthrough
• Workflow integration patterns
• Optimization tips
• Troubleshooting

Time to read: 2 hours

⚡ Advanced Usage

Power-user techniques and workflows

• Advanced CLI usage
• Custom analysis workflows
• Large codebase optimization
• Template system mastery
• API integration examples
• Multi-project analysis
• Custom framework support
• Performance tuning

Time to read: 3 hours

✅ Best Practices

Proven practices from experienced users

• Documentation strategy
• Code preparation tips
• Analysis workflow optimization
• Improving output quality
• Team collaboration patterns
• CI/CD integration best practices
• Maintenance strategies
• Common pitfalls to avoid

Time to read: 1.5 hours

🎯 Quick Navigation

By Experience Level

Beginner (New to RE-cue)

1. Getting Started
2. User Guide - Basic Usage
3. Best Practices - Documentation Strategy

Intermediate (Familiar with basics)

1. User Guide - Advanced Features
2. User Guide - Workflow Integration
3. Best Practices - Output Quality

Advanced (Power user)

1. Advanced Usage - Template System
2. Advanced Usage - API Integration
3. Advanced Usage - Performance Tuning

By Task

Installing RE-cue

• Getting Started - Installation

Running First Analysis

• Getting Started - Quick Start

Understanding Output

• User Guide - Understanding Output Files

Customizing Templates

• Advanced Usage - Template System

CI/CD Integration

• Best Practices - CI/CD Integration

Troubleshooting Issues

• User Guide - Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting Guide

By Role

Developers

• Getting Started - Setup and basics
• User Guide - Command Reference
• Best Practices - Code Preparation

DevOps Engineers

• User Guide - Workflow Integration
• Best Practices - CI/CD Integration
• Advanced Usage - API Integration

Team Leads

• Best Practices - Documentation Strategy
• Best Practices - Team Collaboration
• User Guide - Framework Support

Architects

• User Guide - Generating Documentation
• Advanced Usage - Multi-Project Analysis
• Advanced Usage - Custom Framework Support

📋 Documentation Types

RE-cue generates five types of documentation:

Feature Specifications (spec.md)

Business-focused documentation with user stories and acceptance criteria

• For: Product managers, stakeholders, business analysts
• Guide: User Guide - Feature Specifications

Implementation Plans (plan.md)

Technical architecture and component documentation

• For: Developers, architects, technical leads
• Guide: User Guide - Implementation Plans

Data Models (data-model.md)

Database schemas and entity relationships

• For: DBAs, backend developers, data analysts
• Guide: User Guide - Data Models

Use Cases (use-cases.md)

Business processes with actors and workflows

• For: Business analysts, product owners, process designers
• Guide: User Guide - Use Cases

API Contracts (api-spec.json)

OpenAPI 3.0 specifications for endpoints

• For: API consumers, integration developers, QA engineers
• Guide: User Guide - API Contracts

🛠️ Installation Options

Choose the installation method that fits your workflow:

Python Package (Recommended)

pip install -e reverse-engineer-python/
recue --spec --plan --use-cases

Best for: Local development, large codebases, advanced features

GitHub Action

- uses: cue-3/re-cue/.github/actions/re-cue@v1
  with:
    generate-all: true

Best for: CI/CD pipelines, automated documentation

Bash Script (Legacy)

./install.sh ~/projects/my-app
./.github/scripts/reverse-engineer.sh --spec

Best for: Quick analysis on Unix systems

See Getting Started - Installation for details.

🎓 Learning Paths

Path 1: Quick Start (30 minutes)

Perfect for trying out RE-cue

1. Install RE-cue - 5 min
2. Run first analysis - 10 min
3. Review output - 15 min

Path 2: Production Ready (3 hours)

Integrate RE-cue into your team

1. Setup & basics - 30 min
2. CI/CD integration - 90 min
3. Team workflow - 60 min

Path 3: Power User (6 hours)

Master all features

1. Complete user guide - 2 hours
2. Advanced techniques - 3 hours
3. Best practices - 1 hour

🔗 Related Documentation

Framework Guides

• Spring Boot Guide
• Rails Guide
• Express Guide
• Django Guide
• All Frameworks

Developer Resources

• GitHub Action Guide
• Jinja2 Template Guide
• Extending Frameworks

Reference

• Troubleshooting Guide
• Feature Backlog
• Release Notes
• Contributing Guide

❓ Getting Help

Self-Service

1. Search these guides (Ctrl/Cmd + F)
2. Check Troubleshooting Guide
3. Review Framework Guides
4. Read FAQ

Community

1. GitHub Issues - Report bugs or request features
2. Discussions - Ask questions
3. Contributing - Help improve RE-cue

📊 Guide Statistics

Total: ~2800 lines of comprehensive documentation

🚀 Start Your Journey

New to RE-cue? Start with Getting Started →

Already familiar? Jump to User Guide →

Need advanced techniques? Explore Advanced Usage →

Want to optimize? Read Best Practices →

Questions? Check the FAQ or create an issue.