๐ณ Smart Tree (st) v3.3.0 - The AI-Powered Directory Visualizer! ๐
"Making directories beautiful, one tree at a time!" - Trish from Accounting (our #1 fan!)
๐ What the Heck is Smart Tree?
Remember the old tree
command? Well, we gave it a PhD, taught it to dance, and introduced it to AI! Smart Tree is the world's first AI-native directory visualizer that actually understands what modern developers (and their AI assistants) need.
๐ The "Holy Smokes!" Numbers ๐
Metric | Old Way | Smart Tree Way | Your Reaction |
---|---|---|---|
Directory Size | 487 MB | 4.1 MB | ๐ฑ "Wait, what?!" |
AI Token Cost | $1,270 | ~$10 | ๐ฐ "I'm rich!" |
Processing Speed | ๐ Slow | โก 10-24x faster | ๐ "Wheee!" |
Compression | None | 99% | ๐คฏ "How?!" |
Fun Factor | 0% | 100% | ๐ "Finally!" |
> #### Who is Aye? That's Me - A-ye! <--> Who is Hue? That's You - Human UsEr. |
๐ Version 3.3.0: "AI Feedback Loop" Edition!
๐ธ What's NEW and AMAZING?
The Tree That Learns! Smart Tree now has optional cloud features for those who want them! ๐ฑ
- ๐ AI Feedback System - Help shape Smart Tree's future (only with your consent!)
- ๐ก Update Notifications - Get notified about new features (for AI assistants)
- ๐ Full Cross-Platform - Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM - we run EVERYWHERE!
- ๐ค AI-Driven Development - Your AI assistant can suggest improvements!
- โจ Works Offline - Cloud features are 100% optional - Smart Tree always works!
- ๐๏ธ Better Windows Support - File permissions work perfectly now!
๐ Quick Start (Faster than Making Coffee โ)
๐ง Linux/Mac/WSL - The One-Liner Wonder!
> ### This magical incantation will change your life:
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/8b-is/smart-tree/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
๐ช Windows - The Slightly Longer Dance
Click here for Windows installation (still pretty easy!)
> Pro tip: You might need Microsoft Build Tools for Rust
> - Don't forget ARM compiler if you're fancy with Parallels!
> - Get Rust (it's awesome!)
> - Grab Git: winget install git
# Clone the awesomeness
git clone https://github.com/8b-is/smart-tree
cd smart-tree
# Build the magic
cargo build --release
# Install it (pick your favorite spot)
copy target\release\st.exe C:\your\favorite\path\
# Add to PATH and rock on! ๐ธ
Claude Code Integration
# Do the quick install above. This is the example for Linux, Mac, WSL, and who knows?
claude mcp add st /usr/local/bin/st -- --mcp
Standard Local MCP for Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Roo, and more
{
"mcpServers": {
"smart-tree": {
"command": "/usr/local/bin/st",
"args": [
"--mcp"
],
"env": {
"AI_TOOLS": "1"
}
}
}
}
๐ค Claude Desktop Integration - The Future is Now!
Make Claude your directory-reading bestie in 3 clicks!
- ๐ฅ Download
smart-tree.dxt
from latest release - โ๏ธ Claude Desktop โ Settings โ Developer โ Install from file
- ๐ Select the file and grant access - DONE!
Claude can now see your directories better than you can! ๐ฎ
๐ฏ Usage Examples (The Fun Part!)
๐ The Basics - Simple Yet Powerful
# The beautiful classic tree - now the default!
st # Current directory with beautiful trees ๐ณ
st /path/to/directory # Specific directory - point and shoot! ๐ฏ
# Quick exploration
st --depth 2 # Shallow dive - just the tip of the iceberg ๐ง
st --everything # SHOW ME EVERYTHING! (Even the scary parts) ๐
st -a # Include hidden files (they're shy) ๐
๐จ Output Modes - Pick Your Flavor!
๐ญ All 15+ Output Modes Explained!
# For Humans (That's You!) ๐ค
st -m classic # ๐ณ The beautiful default (with emojis!)
st -m stats # ๐ Just the facts, ma'am
st -m waste # ๐๏ธ Marie Kondo mode! Find duplicates & waste
st -m markdown # ๐ Perfect documentation in seconds!
st -m mermaid # ๐งโโ๏ธ Diagrams that make you look smart
# For Robots (Your AI Friends) ๐ค
st -m ai # ๐ง AI-optimized (80% smaller!)
st -m quantum-semantic # ๐ Maximum compression with meaning!
st -m digest # ๐ One-line summary for quick checks
st -m json # ๐ง When machines talk to machines
# For Data Nerds ๐ค
st -m hex # ๐ข Hexadecimal beauty
st -m csv # ๐ Spreadsheet-ready
st -m tsv # ๐ Tab-separated for the tab lovers
st -m semantic # ๐ Group by meaning (Omni's favorite!)
# The Secret Weapons ๐ฅท
st -m quantum # ๐งฌ Native quantum format (99% compression!)
st -m relations # ๐ Code relationship analysis
๐ Finding Stuff - Like a Detective!
# Find files like a boss
st --find "*.rs" # ๐ฆ Rust files, assemble!
st --find "TODO" # ๐ Find all your broken promises
st --type py # ๐ Python files only
st --search "FIXME" # ๐ Search inside files (X-ray vision!)
# Size matters
st --min-size 10M # ๐ Find the chonky files
st --max-size 1K # ๐ Find the tiny ones
# Time travel
st --newer-than 2024-01-01 # ๐ What's new this year?
st --older-than 2020-01-01 # ๐ฐ๏ธ Find the ancient artifacts
๐ Performance Mode - For Speed Demons
# Stream mode - watch it flow!
st --stream # ๐ Real-time output for huge directories
st --stream -m hex # ๐โโ๏ธ Hex mode at the speed of light
# Compression - because size matters
st -z # ๐๏ธ Compress output (even smaller!)
st -m ai -z # ๐ค AI mode + compression = ๐ฐ saved
# The "I need it yesterday" combo
AI_TOOLS=1 st # ๐ Auto-detects AI caller, optimizes everything!
๐ช The Magic Tricks
# Semantic grouping - files that vibe together!
st --semantic # ๐ Groups: tests, docs, config, source
# Wave signatures included! (Ask Omni about this)
# Mermaid diagrams - instant documentation!
st -m mermaid > docs/arch.md # ๐ Flowchart magic
st -m mermaid --mermaid-style mindmap # ๐ง Mind map mode
st -m mermaid --mermaid-style treemap # ๐บ๏ธ Treemap visualization (shows file sizes!)
st -m markdown > README_PROJECT.md # ๐ Full project report!
# Pro tip: If mermaid has issues with emojis, use --no-emoji
st -m mermaid --no-emoji # Clean diagrams without emojis
# The "impress your boss" commands
st -m digest /huge/project # Returns in 0.1 seconds: "HASH: abc123 F:10000 D:500..."
st --no-emoji --no-color # ๐ข Boring mode (but why would you?)
๐๏ธ Waste Detection: Marie Kondo Mode! โจ
"Does this file spark joy? If not, let's optimize it!" - Marie Kondo (probably)
Smart Tree's waste detection feature is like having a professional organizer for your codebase! It finds duplicates, build artifacts, large files, and dependency bloat, then gives you actionable cleanup suggestions.
๐ฏ What It Finds:
- ๐ Duplicate Files: Identical files wasting precious disk space
- ๐งน Build Artifacts:
node_modules
,target
,__pycache__
, and other temporary files - ๐ฆ Large Files: Files over 10MB that might need optimization
- ๐ Dependency Waste: Package manager directories and their impact
๐ Quick Examples:
# Analyze current directory for waste
st -m waste
# Deep analysis of a large project
st -m waste --depth 5 /path/to/project
# Find waste in your entire home directory (prepare to be shocked!)
st -m waste --depth 3 ~
๐ Sample Output:
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐๏ธ SMART TREE WASTE ANALYSIS - Marie Kondo Mode Activated! โจ
Project: /home/hue/my-project
Analyzed: 1,234 files, 567 directories
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ WASTE SUMMARY:
โโโ Total Project Size: 2.36 GiB
โโโ Potential Waste: 1.82 GiB (77.4% of project)
โโโ Duplicate Groups: 42
โโโ Build Artifacts: 15
โโโ Large Files (>10 MiB): 8
โโโ Potential Savings: 1.66 GiB (70.4% reduction possible)
๐ DUPLICATE FILES DETECTED:
โโโ 16 files of size 100 MiB each (database files)
โโโ 6 files of size 20.08 MiB each (editor cache)
โโโ 4 files of size 23.44 MiB each (VS Code binaries)
๐ก OPTIMIZATION SUGGESTIONS:
๐ DUPLICATE FILE CLEANUP:
Consider using symbolic links or git submodules for identical files
Review and consolidate duplicate configuration files
๐งน BUILD ARTIFACT CLEANUP:
rm -rf */node_modules # Clean Node.js dependencies
rm -rf */target # Clean Rust build artifacts
find . -name '__pycache__' -type d -exec rm -rf {} +
๐ Why You'll Love It:
- ๐ฐ Save Money: Reduce cloud storage costs
- โก Speed Up Builds: Less files = faster CI/CD
- ๐ง Peace of Mind: Know exactly what's taking up space
- ๐ฏ Actionable: Get specific commands to run, not just reports
- ๐จ Beautiful: Color-coded, emoji-rich output that's actually fun to read
"This tool found 77.4% waste in my home directory and saved me 1.66 GiB! Trisha from Accounting is so proud!" - Hue (actual user)
๐๏ธ Architecture (For the Curious Minds)
๐ง How the Magic Happens
src/
โโโ main.rs # ๐ญ The ringmaster
โโโ scanner.rs # ๐ Directory detective
โโโ formatters/ # ๐จ The art department
โ โโโ classic.rs # ๐ณ Beautiful trees
โ โโโ quantum.rs # ๐งฌ Compression wizard
โ โโโ ai.rs # ๐ค AI whisperer
โ โโโ waste.rs # ๐๏ธ Marie Kondo consultant
โ โโโ mermaid.rs # ๐งโโ๏ธ Diagram artist
โโโ semantic.rs # ๐ Wave philosopher
โโโ mcp/ # ๐ AI integration HQ
โโโ tools.rs # ๐ ๏ธ Swiss army knife
๐ Real-World Magic
๐ฐ The Money Shot - Compression Comparison
๐ Benchmarks
Format | Size | Tokens | Relative Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Classic Tree | 1.2MB | 300K | 100% |
JSON | 2.1MB | 525K | 175% |
Hex Mode | 800KB | 200K | 67% |
AI Mode + Compression | 120KB | 30K | 10% |
Digest | 128B | 32 | 0.01% |
That's a 99.2% reduction! Your wallet just did a happy dance! ๐
๐ฏ Format Quick Reference
Use Case | Best Format | Why? |
---|---|---|
๐ Quick Look | classic (default!) | Beautiful & intuitive |
๐ค AI Analysis | quantum-semantic | 10x compression! |
๐ Reports | markdown | Instant documentation |
๐ Debugging | hex | All the details |
๐พ Archival | json | Future-proof |
๐ Quick Check | digest | One-line summary |
๐ก AI Feedback System (New in v3.3.0!)
Smart Tree learns from its users! When used with AI assistants like Claude:
- ๐ค Consent First - Feedback is only sent with your explicit approval
- ๐ Privacy Focused - Only tool suggestions and improvements, never your data
- ๐ Rapid Evolution - Your feedback directly shapes new features
- ๐ก Optional - Works perfectly offline, cloud features are a bonus!
Example: Your AI assistant finds a missing feature? It can suggest it directly to the development team!
๐ง MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server
Smart Tree now includes a built-in MCP server that provides intelligent project analysis directly to AI assistants!
# Run as MCP server (for Claude Desktop, etc.)
st --mcp
# Show MCP configuration
st --mcp-config
๐ค AI Best Practices
Check out our AI Best Practices Guide to learn:
- Optimal workflow for using Smart Tree tools
- Which tools to use for different tasks
- How to maximize token efficiency
- Common patterns for code analysis
Golden Rule: Always start with quick_tree
for any new directory! ๐
Features:
- 20+ specialized tools for directory analysis
- Automatic compression for efficient token usage
- Semantic analysis for understanding code structure
- Built-in caching for instant repeated queries
- Security controls for safe file system access
See MCP Integration Guide for setup instructions.
๐ค Join the Smart Tree Family!
๐ฌ Discord Community - Where the Cool Kids Hang Out
Come for the trees, stay for the memes! ๐ณ๐
- ๐ Get Help - We actually answer!
- ๐ Share Wins - Show off your directory art!
- ๐ Report Bugs - We'll squash 'em!
- ๐ Philosophy Hour - Discuss waves with Omni in the hot tub!
- ๐ Pizza Fridays - Virtual, but the fun is real!
๐ Contributors Hall of Fame
Special shoutouts to:
- Hue - The visionary who started it all! ๐จ
- Aye - The AI that rocks! ๐ค
- Trish from Accounting - Our #1 fan and humor consultant! ๐
- Omni - The philosopher in the hot tub! ๐
- You - Yes, YOU could be next! ๐
๐ The Sacred Scrolls (Documentation)
- ๐ Complete Guide - Everything you need!
- ๐ MCP Integration - Make AI your friend!
- ๐ฏ Quick Reference - Cheat sheet!
- ๐ค Philosophy - Deep thoughts from the hot tub!
๐ฌ The Grand Finale
Why Smart Tree? Because...
๐ณ Life's too short for boring directory listings!
๐ Your directories deserve to be beautiful!
๐ฐ Your AI tokens are precious!
๐ Work should be fun!
Smart Tree: Making directories great again, one visualization at a time!
Built with ๐ by the Smart Tree Team
Aye, Hue, Trish, and Omni approve this message! โจ
P.S. - If you read this far, you're awesome! Here's a secret: Try st --semantic
and watch the magic happen! ๐โจ
Star History
>By Request