# gpm detect

Detect game engine projects in the current or specified directory.

## Usage

```bash
gpm detect [directory] [flags]
```

## Arguments

* `[directory]` - Directory to scan for game engine projects (default: current directory)

## Flags

| Flag                   | Description                   | Default           |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------- |
| `--project-dir <path>` | Project directory to scan     | Current directory |
| `--json`               | Output results in JSON format | `false`           |

## Description

The `gpm detect` command automatically detects game engine projects in the specified directory. GPM can identify Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and Cocos Creator projects based on their file structure and configuration files.

### Detection Criteria

* **Unity**: `Assets/`, `ProjectSettings/`, `Packages/manifest.json`
* **Unreal**: `*.uproject` files, `Content/`, `Config/`
* **Godot**: `project.godot` file, `.tscn` files
* **Cocos Creator**: `project.json`, `assets/` directory

### Confidence Levels

* **Maximum**: Very specific indicators (e.g., `.uproject` files)
* **High**: Multiple strong indicators
* **Medium**: Some indicators present
* **Low**: Weak or few indicators
* **None**: No indicators found

## Examples

### Basic Detection

```bash
# Detect in current directory
gpm detect

# Detect in specific directory
gpm detect /path/to/project

# Detect with project directory flag
gpm detect --project-dir /path/to/project
```

### JSON Output

```bash
# Get detection results in JSON
gpm detect --json

# Detect specific directory with JSON
gpm detect /path/to/project --json
```

## Output

### Human Format (Default)

```
Game Engine Detection
─────────────────────────────────────────
Scanned Directory: /path/to/project
─────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Unity project detected (High confidence)
  • Assets/ directory found
  • ProjectSettings/ directory found
  • Packages/manifest.json found

─────────────────────────────────────────
Unity project detected successfully
```

### JSON Format (`--json`)

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "directory": "/path/to/project",
  "engines": [
    {
      "name": "unity",
      "confidence": "high",
      "indicators": [
        "Assets/ directory found",
        "ProjectSettings/ directory found",
        "Packages/manifest.json found"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "message": "Unity project detected successfully"
}
```

## Engine Detection Details

### Unity Detection

**High Confidence Indicators:**

* `Packages/manifest.json` file
* `Assets/` directory
* `ProjectSettings/` directory

**Medium Confidence Indicators:**

* `Library/` directory
* `Logs/` directory
* `Temp/` directory

**Low Confidence Indicators:**

* `.unity` files
* `.cs` files in root

### Unreal Engine Detection

**High Confidence Indicators:**

* `*.uproject` files
* `Content/` directory
* `Config/` directory

**Medium Confidence Indicators:**

* `Source/` directory
* `Plugins/` directory
* `.uplugin` files

**Low Confidence Indicators:**

* `.uasset` files
* `.umap` files

### Godot Detection

**High Confidence Indicators:**

* `project.godot` file
* `.tscn` files
* `.cs` files

**Medium Confidence Indicators:**

* `addons/` directory
* `.gd` files
* `.tres` files

**Low Confidence Indicators:**

* `.import` files
* `.tmp` files

### Cocos Creator Detection

**High Confidence Indicators:**

* `project.json` file
* `assets/` directory
* `settings/` directory

**Medium Confidence Indicators:**

* `build/` directory
* `library/` directory
* `.meta` files

**Low Confidence Indicators:**

* `.cc` files
* `.js` files

## Multiple Engine Detection

### Multiple Projects

```bash
# Detect multiple projects
gpm detect /path/to/projects

# Output shows all detected engines
```

```
Game Engine Detection
─────────────────────────────────────────
Scanned Directory: /path/to/projects
─────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Unity project detected (High confidence)
  • Assets/ directory found
  • ProjectSettings/ directory found
  • Packages/manifest.json found

✓ Godot project detected (High confidence)
  • project.godot file found
  • .tscn files found

─────────────────────────────────────────
2 projects detected successfully
```

### Nested Projects

```bash
# Detect nested projects
gpm detect /path/to/workspace

# Recursively scans subdirectories
```

## Error Handling

### Common Scenarios

* **No projects found**: `No game engine projects detected`
* **Directory not found**: `Directory not found: /path/to/project`
* **Permission denied**: `Permission denied: cannot read directory`
* **Invalid directory**: `Invalid directory: not a directory`

### Troubleshooting

1. **No projects found**: Check directory structure and file presence
2. **Directory not found**: Verify directory path exists
3. **Permission denied**: Check directory permissions
4. **Invalid directory**: Ensure path points to a directory

## Use Cases

### Project Discovery

```bash
# Discover projects in workspace
gpm detect /path/to/workspace

# Find Unity projects
gpm detect /path/to/workspace | grep -i unity
```

### CI/CD Integration

```bash
# Detect projects in CI
gpm detect --json > detection-results.json

# Process detection results
gpm detect --json | jq '.engines[] | .name'
```

### Development Workflow

```bash
# Check current project
gpm detect

# Verify project type
gpm detect --json | jq '.engines[0].name'
```

## Best Practices

### Project Organization

```bash
# Organize projects by engine
mkdir -p /workspace/unity-projects
mkdir -p /workspace/godot-projects
mkdir -p /workspace/unreal-projects

# Detect each engine type
gpm detect /workspace/unity-projects
gpm detect /workspace/godot-projects
gpm detect /workspace/unreal-projects
```

### Detection Validation

```bash
# Always verify detection results
gpm detect --json | jq '.engines[0].confidence'

# Check for specific engine
gpm detect --json | jq '.engines[] | select(.name == "unity")'
```

### Directory Structure

```bash
# Use clear project structure
/workspace/
├── unity-project/
│   ├── Assets/
│   ├── ProjectSettings/
│   └── Packages/
├── godot-project/
│   ├── project.godot
│   └── scenes/
└── unreal-project/
    ├── Project.uproject
    └── Content/
```

## Integration with Other Commands

### Package Management

```bash
# Detect project first
gpm detect

# Install packages based on detected engine
gpm install com.unity.analytics
```

### Project Initialization

```bash
# Detect existing project
gpm detect

# Initialize new package in project
gpm init --name com.company.mypackage
```

## Related Commands

* [`gpm add`](/cli-reference/cli/package-management/add.md) - Add packages to project
* [`gpm install`](/cli-reference/cli/package-management/install.md) - Install packages
* [`gpm init`](/cli-reference/cli/project/init.md) - Initialize new package

## See Also

* [Project Management](/cli-reference/cli/project.md)
* [Engine Support](/multi-engine-support/engines.md)
* [Multi-Engine Support](https://github.com/gpm-sh/docs/blob/main/engines/auto-detection.md)


---

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