name: audit-performance description: Run a single-session performance audit on the codebase supports_parallel: true fallback_available: true estimated_time_parallel: 20 min estimated_time_sequential: 50 min
Single-Session Performance Audit
Execution Mode Selection
| Condition | Mode | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Task tool available + no context pressure | Parallel | ~20 min |
| Task tool unavailable | Sequential | ~50 min |
| Context running low (<20% remaining) | Sequential | ~50 min |
| User requests sequential | Sequential | ~50 min |
Section A: Parallel Architecture (2 Agents)
When to use: Task tool available, sufficient context budget
Agent 1: bundle-and-rendering
Focus Areas:
- Bundle Size & Loading (large deps, code splitting, dynamic imports)
- Rendering Performance (re-renders, memoization, virtualization)
- Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS optimization)
Files:
app/**/*.tsx(pages, layouts)components/**/*.tsxpackage.json(dependencies)next.config.mjs
Agent 2: data-and-memory
Focus Areas:
- Data Fetching & Caching (query optimization, caching strategy)
- Memory Management (effect cleanup, subscription leaks)
- Offline Support (offline state, sync strategy)
Files:
lib/**/*.ts(services, utilities)hooks/**/*.ts(custom hooks)- Components with
useEffect,onSnapshot - Service worker, cache configurations
Parallel Execution Command
Invoke both agents in a SINGLE Task message:
Task 1: bundle-and-rendering agent - audit bundle size, rendering, Core Web
Vitals Task 2: data-and-memory agent - audit data fetching, memory, offline
support
Coordination Rules
- Each agent writes findings to separate JSONL section
- Bundle findings include estimated KB savings
- Memory findings include leak detection results
- Both agents note cross-cutting concerns
Pre-Audit: Episodic Memory Search (Session #128)
Before running performance audit, search for context from past sessions:
// Search for past performance audit findings
mcp__plugin_episodic -
memory_episodic -
memory__search({
query: ["performance audit", "bundle size", "rendering"],
limit: 5,
});
// Search for specific optimization work done before
mcp__plugin_episodic -
memory_episodic -
memory__search({
query: ["Core Web Vitals", "LCP", "memory leak"],
limit: 5,
});
Why this matters:
- Compare against previous performance baselines
- Identify recurring bottlenecks (may need architectural fixes)
- Track optimization progress over time
- Prevent re-flagging already-addressed issues
Section B: Sequential Fallback (Single Agent)
When to use: Task tool unavailable, context limits, or user preference
Execution Order:
- AI Performance Patterns (high-impact AI-generated issues) - 10 min
- Bundle & Loading - 15 min
- Data Fetching - 10 min
- Remaining categories - 15 min
Total: ~50 min (vs ~20 min parallel)
Checkpoint Format
{
"started_at": "ISO timestamp",
"categories_completed": ["Bundle", "Rendering"],
"current_category": "DataFetch",
"findings_count": 12,
"last_file_written": "stage-2-findings.jsonl"
}
Pre-Audit Validation
Step 1: Check Thresholds
Run npm run review:check and report results.
- If no thresholds triggered: "⚠️ No review thresholds triggered. Proceed anyway?"
- Continue with audit regardless (user invoked intentionally)
Step 2: Gather Current Baselines
Collect these metrics by running commands:
# Build output (bundle sizes)
npm run build 2>&1 | tail -30
# Count client vs server components
grep -rn "use client" app/ components/ --include="*.tsx" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
grep -rn "use server" app/ components/ --include="*.tsx" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
# Count useEffect hooks (potential performance issues)
grep -rn "useEffect" --include="*.tsx" --include="*.ts" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
# Count real-time listeners
grep -rn "onSnapshot" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
# Image optimization check
grep -rn "<img" --include="*.tsx" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
grep -rn "next/image" --include="*.tsx" 2>/dev/null | wc -l
Step 3: Load False Positives Database
Read docs/audits/FALSE_POSITIVES.jsonl and filter findings matching:
- Category:
performance - Expired entries (skip if
expiresdate passed)
Note patterns to exclude from final findings. If file doesn't exist, proceed with no exclusions.
Step 4: Check Template Currency
Read docs/templates/MULTI_AI_PERFORMANCE_AUDIT_PLAN_TEMPLATE.md and verify:
- Stack versions match package.json
- Bundle size baseline is recent
- Performance-critical paths are accurate
If outdated, note discrepancies but proceed with current values.
Audit Execution
Focus Areas (6 Categories):
-
Bundle Size & Loading (large deps, code splitting, dynamic imports)
-
Rendering Performance (re-renders, memoization, virtualization)
-
Data Fetching & Caching (query optimization, caching strategy)
-
Memory Management (effect cleanup, subscription leaks)
-
Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS optimization)
-
Offline Support (NEW - 2026-01-17):
- Offline state storage (localStorage, IndexedDB, cache API)
- Sync strategy (optimistic updates, conflict resolution)
- Failure mode handling (network errors, retry logic)
- Offline-first data patterns (queue writes, batch sync)
- Service worker caching strategy
- Offline testability (can app function without network?)
-
AI Performance Patterns (AI-Codebase Specific - NEW 2026-02-02):
- Naive Data Fetching: AI defaults to fetch-all then filter client-side (S1)
- Missing Pagination: AI often forgets pagination for lists (S2)
- Redundant Re-Renders: AI-generated components without memo/useMemo (S2)
- Duplicate API Calls: Same data fetched in multiple places (S2)
- Sync Where Async Needed: AI sometimes uses sync file ops in Node.js (S2)
- Over-Fetching: Fetching entire documents when only fields needed (S2)
- Missing Loading States: No suspense boundaries or loading indicators (S2)
- Unbounded Queries: Firestore queries without limit() (S1)
For each category:
- Search relevant files using Grep/Glob
- Identify specific issues with file:line references
- Classify severity: S0 (>50% impact) | S1 (20-50%) | S2 (5-20%) | S3 (<5%)
- Estimate effort: E0 (trivial) | E1 (hours) | E2 (day) | E3 (major)
- Note affected metric (LCP, bundle, render, memory)
- Assign confidence level (see Evidence Requirements below)
Performance Patterns to Find:
- Inline arrow functions in JSX props
- Object literals in JSX props
- Missing React.memo on frequently re-rendered components
- useEffect without cleanup
- Large components without code splitting
- Queries without limits
- onSnapshot where one-time fetch would suffice
Scope:
- Include:
app/,components/,lib/,hooks/ - Exclude:
node_modules/,.next/,docs/,tests/
Evidence Requirements (MANDATORY)
All findings MUST include:
- File:Line Reference - Exact location (e.g.,
components/List.tsx:45) - Code Snippet - The actual problematic code (3-5 lines of context)
- Verification Method - How you confirmed this is an issue (build output, grep, profiling)
- Impact Estimate - Quantified performance impact (% improvement, KB saved, ms saved)
Confidence Levels:
- HIGH (90%+): Confirmed by build output, Lighthouse, or profiling data; verified file exists, code snippet matches
- MEDIUM (70-89%): Found via pattern search, file verified, performance impact estimated
- LOW (<70%): Pattern match only, impact uncertain, needs profiling to confirm
S0/S1 findings require:
- HIGH or MEDIUM confidence (LOW confidence S0/S1 must be escalated)
- Dual-pass verification (re-read the code after initial finding)
- Quantified impact estimate with methodology
Cross-Reference Validation
Before finalizing findings, cross-reference with:
- Build output - Mark bundle findings as "TOOL_VALIDATED" if build shows large chunks
- Lighthouse data - Mark Web Vitals findings as "TOOL_VALIDATED" if Lighthouse flagged
- React DevTools - Mark rendering findings as "TOOL_VALIDATED" if profiler confirms re-renders
- Prior audits - Check
docs/audits/single-session/performance/for duplicate findings
Findings without tool validation should note: "cross_ref": "MANUAL_ONLY"
Dual-Pass Verification (S0/S1 Only)
For all S0 (>50% impact) and S1 (20-50% impact) findings:
- First Pass: Identify the issue, note file:line and initial evidence
- Second Pass: Re-read the actual code in context
- Verify the performance issue is real
- Check for existing optimizations (memo, useMemo, useCallback)
- Confirm file and line still exist
- Decision: Mark as CONFIRMED or DOWNGRADE (with reason)
Document dual-pass result in finding: "verified": "DUAL_PASS_CONFIRMED" or
"verified": "DOWNGRADED_TO_S2"
Output Requirements
1. Markdown Summary (display to user):
## Performance Audit - [DATE]
### Baselines
- Build time: Xs
- Bundle size: X KB (gzipped)
- Client components: X
- useEffect hooks: X
- Real-time listeners: X
### Findings Summary
| Severity | Count | Affected Metric | Confidence |
| -------- | ----- | --------------- | ----------- |
| S0 | X | ... | HIGH/MEDIUM |
| S1 | X | ... | HIGH/MEDIUM |
| S2 | X | ... | ... |
| S3 | X | ... | ... |
### Top 5 Optimization Opportunities
1. [file:line] - Description (S1/E1) - Est. X% improvement - DUAL_PASS_CONFIRMED
2. ...
### False Positives Filtered
- X findings excluded (matched FALSE_POSITIVES.jsonl patterns)
### Quick Wins (E0-E1)
- ...
### Recommendations
- ...
2. JSONL Findings (save to file):
Create file: docs/audits/single-session/performance/audit-[YYYY-MM-DD].jsonl
CRITICAL - Use JSONL_SCHEMA_STANDARD.md format:
{
"category": "performance",
"title": "Short specific title",
"fingerprint": "performance::path/to/file.ts::identifier",
"severity": "S0|S1|S2|S3",
"effort": "E0|E1|E2|E3",
"confidence": 90,
"files": ["path/to/file.ts:123"],
"why_it_matters": "1-3 sentences explaining performance impact",
"suggested_fix": "Concrete optimization direction",
"acceptance_tests": ["Array of verification steps"],
"evidence": ["code snippet", "build output", "profiling data"],
"performance_details": {
"affected_metric": "LCP|INP|CLS|bundle|render|memory",
"current_metric": "current value",
"expected_improvement": "estimated improvement"
}
}
For S0/S1 findings, ALSO include verification_steps:
{
"verification_steps": {
"first_pass": {
"method": "grep|tool_output|file_read|code_search",
"evidence_collected": ["initial evidence"]
},
"second_pass": {
"method": "contextual_review|exploitation_test|manual_verification",
"confirmed": true,
"notes": "Confirmation notes"
},
"tool_confirmation": {
"tool": "lighthouse|typescript|webpack|NONE",
"reference": "Tool output or NONE justification"
}
}
}
⚠️ REQUIRED FIELDS (per JSONL_SCHEMA_STANDARD.md):
category- MUST beperformance(normalized)fingerprint- Format:<category>::<primary_file>::<identifier>files- Array with file paths (include line asfile.ts:123)confidence- Number 0-100 (not string)acceptance_tests- Non-empty array of verification steps
3. Markdown Report (save to file):
Create file: docs/audits/single-session/performance/audit-[YYYY-MM-DD].md
Full markdown report with all findings, baselines, and optimization plan.
Post-Audit Validation
Before finalizing the audit:
-
Run Validation Script:
node scripts/validate-audit.js docs/audits/single-session/performance/audit-[YYYY-MM-DD].jsonl -
Validation Checks:
- All findings have required fields
- No matches in FALSE_POSITIVES.jsonl (or documented override)
- No duplicate findings
- All S0/S1 have HIGH or MEDIUM confidence
- All S0/S1 have DUAL_PASS_CONFIRMED or TOOL_VALIDATED
-
If validation fails:
- Review flagged findings
- Fix or document exceptions
- Re-run validation
Post-Audit
- Display summary to user
- Confirm files saved to
docs/audits/single-session/performance/ - Run
node scripts/validate-audit.json the JSONL file - Validate CANON schema (if audit updates CANON files):
Ensure all CANON files pass validation before committing.npm run validate:canon - Update AUDIT_TRACKER.md - Add entry to "Performance Audits" table:
- Date: Today's date
- Session: Current session number from SESSION_CONTEXT.md
- Commits Covered: Number of commits since last performance audit
- Files Covered: Number of performance-critical files analyzed
- Findings: Total count (e.g., "2 S1, 4 S2, 3 S3")
- Reset Threshold: YES (single-session audits reset that category's threshold)
- TDMS Integration (MANDATORY) - Ingest findings to canonical debt store:
This assigns DEBT-XXXX IDs and adds tonode scripts/debt/intake-audit.js docs/audits/single-session/performance/audit-[YYYY-MM-DD].jsonl --source "audit-performance-[DATE]"docs/technical-debt/MASTER_DEBT.jsonl. Seedocs/technical-debt/PROCEDURE.mdfor the full TDMS workflow. - Ask: "Would you like me to fix any of these issues now? (Quick wins recommended first)"
Threshold System
Category-Specific Thresholds
This audit resets the performance category threshold in
docs/AUDIT_TRACKER.md (single-session audits reset their own category;
multi-AI audits reset all thresholds). Reset means the commit counter for this
category starts counting from zero after this audit.
Performance audit triggers (check AUDIT_TRACKER.md):
- 30+ commits since last performance audit, OR
- Bundle size change detected, OR
- New heavy dependencies added
Multi-AI Escalation
After 3 single-session performance audits, a full multi-AI Performance Audit is recommended. Track this in AUDIT_TRACKER.md "Single audits completed" counter.
Adding New False Positives
If you encounter a pattern that should be excluded from future audits:
node scripts/add-false-positive.js \
--pattern "regex-pattern" \
--category "performance" \
--reason "Explanation of why this is not a performance issue" \
--source "AI_REVIEW_LEARNINGS_LOG.md#review-XXX"
Documentation References
Before running this audit, review:
TDMS Integration (Required)
- PROCEDURE.md - Full TDMS workflow
- MASTER_DEBT.jsonl - Canonical debt store
- Intake command:
node scripts/debt/intake-audit.js <output.jsonl> --source "audit-performance-<date>"
Documentation Standards (Required)
- JSONL_SCHEMA_STANDARD.md - Output format requirements and TDMS field mapping
- DOCUMENTATION_STANDARDS.md - 5-tier doc hierarchy