> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meow.style/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Insight & lifecycle

> why-dep, why-large, why-slow, doctor, sync, and ls — full flag reference.

## meow why-dep

Trace why a package is in the dependency tree, reading `meow.lock.jsonl`.

```bash theme={null}
meow why-dep is-number
meow why-dep react --shortest
meow why-dep lodash --json --limit 50
```

| Flag / Argument | Default    | Description                               |
| --------------- | ---------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `<pkg>`         |            | The package to explain.                   |
| `--shortest`    | off        | Show one shortest chain per version.      |
| `--json`        | off        | Emit the structured report.               |
| `--limit <n>`   | (built-in) | Max chains per version before truncating. |

Exits non-zero if the package isn't reachable from any direct dependency.

***

## meow why-large

List lockfile packages by cached tarball size.

```bash theme={null}
meow why-large
```

Shows the top packages with their size and percent of total. Reads the lockfile and
the global cache.

***

## meow why-slow

Report cold-start timing; with a target, basic module + lockfile stats.

```bash theme={null}
meow why-slow
meow why-slow main.ts
```

| Argument   | Description                                              |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `[target]` | Optional module to stat alongside the cold-start timing. |

***

## meow doctor

Environment, config, and lockfile health, as a panel.

```bash theme={null}
meow doctor
```

Reports `package.json`, lockfile, `node_modules`, and cache status. No flags.

***

## meow sync

Regenerate the shadow config and bundled type declarations from
`meow.config.json`.

```bash theme={null}
meow sync
```

Rewrites `.meow/tsconfig.json`, `.meow/strict-web.d.ts`, the `meow:*` declarations
under `.meow/types/meow/`, and the root `tsconfig.json` shim. Never touches
`package.json`. Run it after editing `meow.config.json`.

***

## meow ls

List active dev servers discovered via `lsof`, with labels for well-known ports
(Next.js, Vite, Astro, Tauri, Wrangler, …). Available on macOS and Linux.

```bash theme={null}
meow ls
```

***

<Note>
  **Contributor command.** `meow types` (`--emit` / `--check`) regenerates the
  bundled `meow:*` `.d.ts` declarations from the runtime sources. It only runs
  inside the meow repository checkout and is meant for contributors, not end users.
  Set `MEOW_TSC` to point at a specific compiler.
</Note>

<Card title="Built-in module APIs" icon="cube" href="/api/overview">
  meow:http, meow:ui, meow:test.
</Card>