Git diffs are the universal standard for code review, but they operate at the line level rather than the semantic level. A one-line signature change in an exported function can have a higher blast radius than a 200-line CSS refactor, yet git treats them both as raw text changes.

In TokenCap, we built src/diff/buildDiffReport.js to produce evidence-backed semantic diff reports.

What the Semantic Diff Report Computes

  1. Symbol Changes: Identifies exactly which functions, methods, and classes were added, modified, or deleted.
  2. Breaking Change Detection: Flags parameter list alterations and removed exports that break existing call sites.
  3. Test Association: Scans the call graph to list the specific test files covering the modified symbols.
  4. Risk Rating: Computes risk (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, CRITICAL) based on transitive caller volume and module boundary crossings.

CLI Inspection 

tokencap diff

Output:

Comparing working tree against origin/main... Files Changed: 4 files (+42, -18 lines) Symbol Alterations: - MODIFIED: src/auth/jwt.js:verifyToken (Signature changed: +options param) Breaking Change Risk: HIGH Downstream Impact: - 4 direct call sites affected - 18 transitive callers across 3 clusters Recommended Tests to Run: - test/auth.test.js - test/session.test.js Report generated in .tokencap/diff/review-packet.md

You can inject this report directly into your PR description or pass it to an AI agent to verify that all affected call sites were updated.

Learn more at tokencap.vansharora.app