performance-review

name	performance-review
description	Detects time and space complexity hotspots via AST scan. Use when code feels slow, before performance-sensitive merges, or to find O(n²) regressions.
alwaysApply	false
category	code-quality
tags	["performance","complexity","algorithms","ast","static-analysis"]
tools	[]
usage_patterns	["hotspot-detection","complexity-review","pre-merge-performance-check"]
complexity	advanced
model_hint	deep
estimated_tokens	280
progressive_loading	true
dependencies	["imbue:proof-of-work","imbue:review-core","imbue:structured-output"]
modules	["modules/time-complexity.md","modules/space-complexity.md","modules/gauntlet-integration.md","modules/kuva-visualization.md","modules/memory-allocation-lenses.md"]

Table of Contents

• Quick Start
• When to Use
• When NOT to Use
• Required TodoWrite Items
• Workflow
• Tiered Analysis
• Output Format
• Cross-Plugin Dependencies
• Supporting Modules

Performance Review

Static-analysis review of time and space complexity hotspots.

The skill runs in three escalating tiers. Tier 1 uses Python's stdlib ast and always runs. Tier 2 uses gauntlet's tree-sitter parser to extend detection across languages when gauntlet is installed. Tier 3 uses the gauntlet code graph to upgrade severity when hotspots reach other hotspots transitively. If gauntlet is missing, Tiers 2 and 3 no-op and Tier 1 still produces useful findings on Python source.

Quick Start

/performance-review                  # scan changed files
/performance-review path/to/file.py  # scan one file
/performance-review --tier 1         # force Tier 1 only

Programmatic use:

from pensive.skills.performance_review import PerformanceReviewSkill
skill = PerformanceReviewSkill()
result = skill.analyze(context, "src/module.py")
for f in result.issues:
    print(f"[{f.severity}] {f.file}:{f.line} {f.message}")

When To Use

• Pre-merge review of code that runs on user-scaled inputs.
• Triage of a function that "feels slow" before reaching for a profiler.
• Audit a refactor for newly introduced O(n²) patterns.
• Guardrail for AI-generated code where nested-loop hot spots are common.

When NOT to Use

• The target needs runtime measurement (memory profile, CPU time on real data). Use Skill(parseltongue:python-performance) instead: that skill drives , , and benchmarks.