How does Atlas help review GraalVM `native-image` configuration files?

Atlas reads your `pom.xml` for the `native-maven-plugin` and examines `META-INF/native-image` metadata. It can identify missing `reflect-config.json` entries that cause runtime failures only in native binaries, and can even run the tracing agent to generate and diff metadata, streamlining configuration management.

Can Atlas run `mvn -Pnative test` for a GraalVM pull request?

Yes, Atlas uses its `bash` tool to execute `mvn -Pnative test` within your GraalVM project. This operation is permission-gated, requiring your explicit approval before running, ensuring you maintain control over test execution and validate native-specific behavior.

How does Atlas check for broken references in a GraalVM codebase?

For every changed function signature in a GraalVM pull request, Atlas employs its `lsp` tool to perform a `findReferences` operation. This identifies all callers, even those outside the immediate diff, preventing subtle breakage in the AOT-compiled native binary that a simple line-by-line review would miss.

Does Atlas only look at the diff hunks when reviewing GraalVM code?

No, Atlas goes beyond diff hunks. It uses its `read` tool to pull the full content of changed GraalVM source files. This provides essential surrounding context, helping to catch bugs that a line-by-line diff would miss, especially regarding `native-image` implications for reflection and resources.

How does Atlas ensure code style with `Spotless` in GraalVM projects?

Atlas can be configured to run `Spotless` on modified files after changes are applied or tests are run. It uses `bash` to execute the `Spotless` command, ensuring your GraalVM codebase adheres to defined formatting standards and maintaining consistency across the project.

What safety features does Atlas offer when reviewing GraalVM code?

Atlas operates with permission-gated tool calls, a read-only plan agent, and requires approval for all file edits via a unified diff. It also snapshots file changes as git patches, allowing for easy rollback in your GraalVM project, ensuring a secure and controlled review process.

Can Atlas help find old constant names or feature flags in GraalVM code?

Yes, Atlas uses its `grep` tool to search for specific patterns across your GraalVM codebase. This is useful for identifying old constant names, stale copies of code, or feature flags that should have been updated but were overlooked in the pull request, ensuring code consistency.

Review a Pull Request in GraalVM with Atlas in 2026

Atlas helps GraalVM developers in 2026 review pull requests by providing crucial context beyond simple diffs, ensuring that changes integrate correctly with `native-image` builds and the `Maven` project structure. It leverages tools like `mvn -Pnative test` and `Spotless` to validate code, catching subtle issues that a line-by-line review might miss, especially concerning reflection and resource declarations required for successful native binaries.

How Atlas reviews GraalVM pull requests beyond the diff

Atlas's approach to PR review in 2026 goes beyond line-by-line diffs. It reads full files, not just hunks, to provide 360-degree context. This helps GraalVM developers catch issues related to `native-image` configurations or implicit dependencies that a standard `git diff` would never reveal, preventing runtime failures in native binaries.

When reviewing a pull request in a GraalVM project, Atlas first fetches the branch and produces the raw diff using its `bash` tool. However, it doesn't stop there. To provide comprehensive context, Atlas uses its `read` tool to pull the full content of changed `.java` files, rather than just the diff hunks. This allows the agent to understand the surrounding logic and potential implications for `native-image` builds, where reflection, resources, and dynamic proxies must be declared ahead of time. For every changed function signature, Atlas employs its `lsp` tool to perform a `findReferences` operation. This is critical for GraalVM, as a signature change might break callers that are not visible in the immediate diff, leading to AOT compilation issues or runtime errors in the native binary. Furthermore, Atlas can `grep` for specific patterns, such as old constant names, stale copies of code, or feature flags that should have been updated but were missed, ensuring the GraalVM codebase remains consistent and correct.

Validating GraalVM changes with real toolchain commands

To ensure code quality and correctness, Atlas integrates directly with the GraalVM toolchain. It can execute `mvn -Pnative test` to validate changes against the native build profile, catching issues early. This ensures that the 2026 codebase remains stable and performant, adhering to the strict requirements of `native-image` compilation.

Atlas leverages its `bash` tool to run real GraalVM toolchain commands, providing concrete validation for pull request changes. After analyzing the code, Atlas can run `mvn -Pnative test` to execute the project's tests specifically for the native build profile. This step is crucial for GraalVM projects, as issues related to reflection, resources, or dynamic proxies often only manifest during native compilation or runtime. Atlas also ensures code formatting standards are maintained by applying `Spotless` to the diff. Every tool call, including running `mvn -Pnative test` or applying `Spotless`, is permission-gated, requiring explicit developer approval. Findings from these validations are reported as a `todowrite` list, ordered by severity, guiding the GraalVM developer through necessary corrections.

How Atlas handles GraalVM native-image metadata

Atlas assists GraalVM developers in managing `native-image` metadata, a critical aspect for successful native binaries. It can read existing `META-INF/native-image` configurations and identify missing `reflect-config.json` entries. This proactive approach prevents runtime failures that only manifest in the native binary, saving significant debugging time in 2026.

Working with GraalVM and Atlas on `native-image` builds means addressing the unique requirements for ahead-of-time compilation. Atlas is designed to understand and interact with the specific configuration files that GraalVM relies on. It can read your `pom.xml` to confirm the application of the `native-maven-plugin` and then examine reachability metadata located under `META-INF/native-image`. If a class only fails in the native binary but runs fine on the JVM, Atlas can identify the missing `reflect-config.json` entry. Furthermore, Atlas can run the GraalVM tracing agent, diff the generated metadata against existing configurations, and commit only the entries your code actually needs, streamlining the process of maintaining accurate `native-image` configurations and reducing boilerplate.

Ensuring safety and control during GraalVM code review with Atlas

Atlas prioritizes safety and developer control during GraalVM code reviews. Every Atlas tool call, including running `mvn -Pnative test` or modifying `reflect-config.json`, is permission-gated against allow, ask, and deny rules. This ensures developers retain full oversight over 100% of the agent's actions, providing confidence in the review process in 2026.

Atlas is built with robust safety mechanisms to ensure developers maintain full control over their GraalVM projects. Before any tool call, such as executing `bash` commands like `mvn -Pnative test` or interacting with the `lsp` server, Atlas checks against permission-gated allow, ask, and deny rules. This means no action is taken without explicit developer consent. Atlas drafts a plan in a read-only plan agent, allowing developers to review the proposed steps before switching to a build agent that can make changes. For every file edit, Atlas computes a unified diff and surfaces it for approval before writing to disk. Additionally, Atlas snapshots file changes as git patches, providing a clear audit trail and the ability to roll back edits if necessary, ensuring a secure and controlled review workflow for GraalVM code.

Step by step

01Fetch the pull request branch and generate the raw diff using Atlas's VCS layer, exposing `diffRaw` over the git data.
02Read full GraalVM source files for context using Atlas's `read` tool to pull the complete content of changed `.java` files, not just diff hunks, to understand surrounding logic and `native-image` implications.
03Check for broken GraalVM method references: For every changed function signature, use Atlas's `lsp` tool with `findReferences` to identify callers the diff never touched, critical for AOT compilation.
04Grep for stale GraalVM patterns: Use Atlas's `grep` tool to search for old constant names, stale copies, or feature flags that should have been updated across the GraalVM project but were missed.
05Validate `native-image` metadata: Let Atlas read your `pom.xml` and `META-INF/native-image` configurations, identifying potential issues with reflection or resource declarations that could fail in a native binary.
06Run GraalVM native tests and apply formatting: Have Atlas run `bash -c "mvn -Pnative test"` behind a permission prompt, then apply `Spotless` formatting to any modified files to maintain code style.
07Review Atlas's findings and proposed changes: Examine the `todowrite` list generated by Atlas, ordered by severity, and approve or reject any suggested file edits via the unified diff.

Frequently asked questions

How does Atlas help review GraalVM `native-image` configuration files?: Atlas reads your `pom.xml` for the `native-maven-plugin` and examines `META-INF/native-image` metadata. It can identify missing `reflect-config.json` entries that cause runtime failures only in native binaries, and can even run the tracing agent to generate and diff metadata, streamlining configuration management.
Can Atlas run `mvn -Pnative test` for a GraalVM pull request?: Yes, Atlas uses its `bash` tool to execute `mvn -Pnative test` within your GraalVM project. This operation is permission-gated, requiring your explicit approval before running, ensuring you maintain control over test execution and validate native-specific behavior.
How does Atlas check for broken references in a GraalVM codebase?: For every changed function signature in a GraalVM pull request, Atlas employs its `lsp` tool to perform a `findReferences` operation. This identifies all callers, even those outside the immediate diff, preventing subtle breakage in the AOT-compiled native binary that a simple line-by-line review would miss.
Does Atlas only look at the diff hunks when reviewing GraalVM code?: No, Atlas goes beyond diff hunks. It uses its `read` tool to pull the full content of changed GraalVM source files. This provides essential surrounding context, helping to catch bugs that a line-by-line diff would miss, especially regarding `native-image` implications for reflection and resources.
How does Atlas ensure code style with `Spotless` in GraalVM projects?: Atlas can be configured to run `Spotless` on modified files after changes are applied or tests are run. It uses `bash` to execute the `Spotless` command, ensuring your GraalVM codebase adheres to defined formatting standards and maintaining consistency across the project.
What safety features does Atlas offer when reviewing GraalVM code?: Atlas operates with permission-gated tool calls, a read-only plan agent, and requires approval for all file edits via a unified diff. It also snapshots file changes as git patches, allowing for easy rollback in your GraalVM project, ensuring a secure and controlled review process.
Can Atlas help find old constant names or feature flags in GraalVM code?: Yes, Atlas uses its `grep` tool to search for specific patterns across your GraalVM codebase. This is useful for identifying old constant names, stale copies of code, or feature flags that should have been updated but were overlooked in the pull request, ensuring code consistency.

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