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Repository Analysis

coreutils/coreutils

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7.7 Low AI signal View on GitHub

Analysis Overview

This report presents the forensic synthetic code analysis of coreutils/coreutils, a C project with 5,212 GitHub stars. SynthScan v2.0 examined 153,291 lines of code across 934 source files, recording 978 pattern matches distributed across 6 syntactic categories. The overall adjusted score of 7.7 places this repository in the Low AI signal band.

The scanner applied 160+ deterministic lexical heuristics, multi-line block detectors, abstract syntax tree depth profilers, and a cross-file Jaccard similarity matrix to construct a statistically normalised synthetic code estimate. All matches are individually weighted by severity coefficient and contextual multiplier before summation, and the resulting headline score is temporally discounted to account for the repository's development history relative to the commercial emergence of large language model coding tooling (November 2022 onward).

7.7
Adjusted Score
7.7
Raw Score
100%
Time Factor
2026-07-14
Last Push
5.2K
Stars
C
Language
153.3K
Lines of Code
934
Files
978
Pattern Hits
2026-07-14
Scan Date
0.00
HC Hit Rate

What These Metrics Mean

Adjusted Score
Primary synthetic code indicator. Raw score normalised per 1,000 lines of code and multiplied by the temporal discount factor. This is the definitive comparative metric — use it to rank repositories by AI authorship density.
Raw Score
The unmodified sum of all severity-weighted, context-multiplied pattern match scores before temporal discounting. Reflects the absolute signal strength independent of when the repository was last active.
Time Factor
The temporal discount multiplier (0–100%) applied to the raw score. Repositories last updated before ChatGPT's launch (Nov 2022) receive a 5% factor. Full signal is only assigned to repositories active in the post-adoption era (Jan 2024+).
Pattern Hits
Total count of individual pattern matches across all files and categories. A high hit count with a low score may indicate a very large codebase with isolated AI snippets; a low count with a high score indicates dense, concentrated AI signatures.
HC Hit Rate
High+Critical pattern hits per file, averaged across the repository. This orthogonal signal catches repositories where a few files are densely packed with high-severity AI tells — a strong indicator even when the normalised score appears moderate due to codebase size.
Lines of Code / Files
Total lines and files analysed. The scanner examines 94 file extensions. These denominators are used to normalise the score, enabling fair comparison between repositories of vastly different sizes.

Score History

This chart maps the temporal evolution of the adjusted synthetic code score across successive scan runs. An upward trajectory indicates ongoing incorporation of AI-generated code or expanding LLM-assisted scaffolding; a stable or declining trajectory may reflect active human refactoring, code removal, or the adoption of stricter authorship policies. The dashed secondary line (right axis) independently tracks total raw pattern hit count, which can diverge from the normalised score when codebase size changes significantly between scans.

Severity Breakdown

Classifies detected patterns by their diagnostic confidence and structural impact. CRITICAL patterns (coefficient 10) represent definitive synthetic signatures — hallucinated imports, explicit LLM attribution metadata — virtually never produced by human authors. HIGH (5) indicates strong structural tells such as cross-file repetition or cross-linguistic idioms. MEDIUM (2) covers recognisable conversational padding and AI-specific vocabulary. LOW (1) captures subtle indicators like tautological comments and generic boilerplate that require density to carry independent signal.

CRITICAL 0HIGH 1MEDIUM 84LOW 893

Directory Score Breakdown

This horizontal bar chart decomposes the repository's raw synthetic code score by top-level directory, allowing you to pinpoint precisely which modules or components carry the highest AI authorship density. Directories with disproportionately high scores relative to their size warrant targeted manual review: concentrated AI signatures often trace back to mass-generated configuration layers, auto-ported test suites, LLM-scaffolded boilerplate classes, or entire subsystems authored under heavy copilot assistance. Use this view to prioritise your human code-review effort.

Pattern Findings

The scanner identified 978 distinct pattern matches across 6 syntactic categories. Each entry below represents a discrete location in the source code where the engine recorded a statistically significant AI authorship indicator. Expand any category row to inspect the individual file paths, line numbers, code snippets, and the lexical context (CODE, COMMENT, or STRING) in which each match was detected.

Reading the findings table: The Severity column indicates the diagnostic confidence level (CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW). The Context column identifies whether the match occurred inside executable code, an inline comment, or a string literal — comment-context matches receive a ×1.5 weight because LLMs systematically over-annotate. The ⚡ bolt icon marks clustered matches: three or more patterns within a 10-line window, each receiving an additional ×1.5 density multiplier as dense clusters constitute far stronger evidence of synthetic authorship than isolated hits.

Over-Commented Block885 hits · 885 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
LOWinit.cfg1# This file is sourced by init.sh, *before* its initialization.COMMENT
LOWinit.cfg281#COMMENT
LOWbuild-aux/gen-lists-of-programs.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWbuild-aux/gen-single-binary.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/CuSkip.pm1package CuSkip;COMMENT
LOWtests/Coreutils.pm1package Coreutils;COMMENT
LOWtests/Coreutils.pm41# Otherwise, a bad shell might be used (e.g. command.com) and manyCOMMENT
LOWtests/Coreutils.pm61# ================COMMENT
LOWtests/Coreutils.pm81# Transform actual stderr output before comparing it against expected.COMMENT
LOWtests/CuTmpdir.pm1package CuTmpdir;COMMENT
LOWtests/tee/append.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/tee/write-eagain.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/tee/short-write.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/tee/tee.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/line-bytes.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/lines.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/fail.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/filter.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/b-chunk.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/non-utf8.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/numeric.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/additional-suffix.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/guard-input.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/suffix-length.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/split-io-err.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/l-chunk-root.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/r-chunk.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/l-chunk.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/suffix-auto-length.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/split/record-sep.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/cat-E.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/cat-distinct-err.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/cat-proc.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/cat-buf.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/splice.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/cat/cat-self.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/pathchk.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/kill.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/option-aliases.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/close-stdin.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/tsort.pl1#!/usr/bin/perlCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/xattr.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/sleep.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/mknod.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/realpath.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/dirname.pl1#!/usr/bin/perlCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/stdbuf.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/stdbuf.sh101# early), if head -n1 read stdin char by char. Note uniq | head -c2 doesn'tCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/tty-eof.pl1#!/usr/bin/perlCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/false-status.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/dircolors.pl1#!/usr/bin/perlCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/write-errors.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/invalid-opt.pl1#!/usr/bin/perlCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/usage_vs_refs.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/responsive.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/echo.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/echo.sh61-E -n fooCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/user.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/warning-errors.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
LOWtests/misc/read-errors.sh1#!/bin/shCOMMENT
825 more matches not shown…
Self-Referential Comments44 hits · 144 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
MEDIUMinit.cfg1# This file is sourced by init.sh, *before* its initialization.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/split/split-io-err.sh25# Create the expected error messageCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/split/l-chunk-root.sh26# Create a file system to provide an isolated $TMPDIRCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/misc/selinux.sh26# Create a regular file, dir, fifo.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/runcon/runcon-compute.sh24# Create an executable that's sure to failCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/truncate/truncate-owned-by-other.sh24# Create a file owned by root, and writable by $NON_ROOT_USERNAME.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/du/inodes.sh50# Create a directory and summarize: 3 inodes.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/du/2g.sh24# Creating a 2GB file counts as 'very expensive'.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/df/problematic-chars.sh33# Create a file system, then mount it.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/df/problematic-chars.sh54 # Create a non UTF8 mount pointCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/csplit/csplit-io-err.sh25# Create the expected error messageCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/touch/now-owned-by-other.sh23# Create a file owned by root, and writable by $NON_ROOT_USERNAME.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/factor/create-test.sh2# Create the factor test scripts.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/factor/create-test.sh93# Create the test script from the template for this testCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/tail/big-4gb.sh24# Create a file of size exactly 4GB (2^32) with 8 bytesCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mktemp/mktemp.pl77 # Create a temporary directory.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mkdir/parents.sh32# Create an existing directory.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/shred/shred-exact.sh39# Create a 1MiB file as we'll probably not be using blocks larger than thatCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mv/symlink-onto-hardlink-to-self.sh25# Create a file f, and a symlink s1 to that file.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/id/zero.sh33# Create a nice list of users.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh58# Create a hard link to a dangling symlink.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh68# Create a hard link to a symlink to a directory.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh27# Create a simple symlink with both source and destination filesCOMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh35# Create a symlink with source file and explicit destination directory/file.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh43# Create a symlink with source file and destination directory.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh71# Create a symlink with source file and no explicit directoryCOMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh79# Create a symlink with source file and destination symlink-to-directory.COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/misc.sh88# Create a symlink with source file and destination symlink-to-directory.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ls/getxattr-speedup.sh54# Create a few files:COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ls/non-utf8-hidden.sh26# Create a hidden file with valid UTF-8COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ls/non-utf8-hidden.sh29# Create a hidden file with invalid UTF-8 (without trailing newline)COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ls/ls-time.sh65# Create a link, updating c's ctime.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse.sh23# Create a sparse file.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-extents-2.sh38 # Create an ext4 loopback file systemCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-perf.sh25# Create a sparse file on another partition to avoid reflinkingCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-perf.sh42# Create a large-non-sparse-but-compressible fileCOMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-perf.sh53# Create a large-but-sparse file on the current partition.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh125# Create a file system, then mount it with the context=... option.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-2.sh42# Create a file starting with an "x", followed by 256K-1 0 bytes.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/deep-1.sh41# Create a directory in $t with lots of 'k' components.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/hash.sh25# Create a hierarchy with 3*26 leaf directories, each at depth 153.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/readdir-bug.sh23# Create a directory containing many files.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/read-only.sh27# Create a file system, then mount it.COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/help/help-version.sh134# Create a file in the current directory, not in $TMPDIR.COMMENT
Decorative Section Separators40 hits · 138 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
MEDIUMtests/Coreutils.pm52# ================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/Coreutils.pm61# ================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/misc/nohup.sh47# ----------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/misc/nohup.sh60# ----------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/misc/nohup.sh98# ----------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/chgrp/posix-H.sh38# =========================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/chgrp/posix-H.sh56# =========================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/pr/pr-tests.pl35# -------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/stat/stat-birthtime.sh31# ----------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/stat/stat-birthtime.sh33# ----------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/stat/stat-birthtime.sh37# ----------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mv/hard-3.sh45# ======================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mv/hard-2.sh32# ======================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/mv/hard-2.sh56# ======================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh23# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh30# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh43# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh57# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/ln/hard-to-sym.sh67# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/misc.sh113# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/misc.sh124# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/misc.sh130# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/ln/misc.sh151# ===================================================COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh34# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh44# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh53# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh61# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh69# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh79# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUM⚡tests/cp/link-preserve.sh89# --------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/sparse-extents-2.sh52# =================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh149# =====================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh157# =====================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh177# =====================================================COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh120#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh198#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh230#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh239#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh273#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
MEDIUMtests/rm/r-root.sh305#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMMENT
Redundant / Tautological Comments7 hits · 10 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
LOWtests/misc/just-created.sh46 # Check if the file specified by the first argument exists.COMMENT
LOWtests/test/test-N.sh42# Set mtime to 2 days before atime: 'test -N' returns 1;COMMENT
LOWtests/stat/stat-nanoseconds.sh22# Set this to avoid problems with weird time zones.COMMENT
LOWtests/fold/fold-spaces.sh27# Check if a character is considered blank. Some systems, such as FreeBSD,COMMENT
LOWtests/mv/sticky-to-xpart.sh30# Set up to run a test where non-root user tries to move a root-ownedCOMMENT
LOWtests/cp/cp-a-selinux.sh189# Check if -a option doesn't silence --preserve=context option diagnosticsCOMMENT
LOWtests/rm/r-root.sh39# Set this to 0 if you don't have a working gdb but wouldCOMMENT
Synthetic Comment Markers1 hit · 8 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
HIGHtests/ls/stat-free-symlinks.sh66# Check that output is colored, as requested, too.COMMENT
AI Slop Vocabulary1 hit · 2 pts
SeverityFileLineSnippetContext
LOWtests/ls/ls-misc.pl39# If the string $S is a well-behaved file name, simply return it.COMMENT