Analysis rules

PragyaLint runs five independent rules. Each finding is tagged with the rule that produced it, so you can filter with --rules or read rule in JSON output.

Rule	Checks	Confidence
`unused_file`	Module unreachable from any entry point.	high
`unused_import`	An imported name (or a single name inside a multi-name import) never referenced in that file.	high
`unused_export`	A top-level function/class/variable no other module ever imports.	medium (or low if dynamic dispatch detected)
`unused_local`	A top-level definition referenced nowhere in the project at all — not even within its own file.	medium (or low if dynamic dispatch detected)
`cycle`	A circular import between modules (only run with `--cycles`).	low

unused_export vs. unused_local

These two look similar but check different things, and a definition can trigger one, both, or neither:

unused_export asks: does any other module import this? A function only ever called from within its own file (a private helper, effectively) will trigger this even though it's perfectly alive.
unused_local asks: is this referenced anywhere at all, including its own file? This is the stronger claim — a unused_local finding means the definition is genuinely never called.

What's exempt from unused_export / unused_local

Names starting with _ (treated as intentionally private).
Names listed in an explicit __all__.
Names used as values in a dict/list/tuple/set literal (dispatch tables) — see Dynamic dispatch.
Names passed to getattr(obj, "literal_name") anywhere in the project.
Top-level definitions in entry files (including test files), unless --include-entry-exports is passed.
A definition marked with a trailing or preceding # pragyalint: keep comment.

Restricting which rules run

# Only check for unused files and imports (fastest, highest-confidence pass)
pragyalint --rules unused_file unused_import

# Add cycle detection (off by default)
pragyalint --cycles