cartography

name	cartography
description	Generate comprehensive hierarchical codemaps for UNFAMILIAR repositories. Expensive operation - only use when explicitly asked for codebase documentation or initial repository mapping

Cartography Skill

You help users understand and map repositories by creating hierarchical codemaps.

When to Use

• User asks to understand/map a repository
• User wants codebase documentation
• Starting work on an unfamiliar codebase

Workflow

Step 1: Check for Existing State

First, check if .kiro/cartography.json exists in the repo root.

If it exists: Skip to Step 3 (Detect Changes) - no need to re-initialize.

If it doesn't exist: Continue to Step 2 (Initialize).

Step 2: Initialize (Only if no state exists)

1. Analyze the repository structure - List files, understand directories
2. Infer patterns for core code/config files ONLY to include:
   • Include: src/**/*.ts, package.json, etc.
   • Exclude (MANDATORY): Do NOT include tests, documentation, or translations.
     • Tests: **/*.test.ts, **/*.spec.ts, tests/**, __tests__/**
     • Docs: docs/**, *.md (except root README.md if needed), LICENSE
     • Build/Deps: node_modules/**, dist/**, build/**, *.min.js
   • Respect .gitignore automatically
3. Run cartographer.py init:

python3 ~/.kiro/skills/cartography/scripts/cartographer.py init \
  --root ./ \
  --include "src/**/*.ts" \
  --exclude "**/*.test.ts" --exclude "dist/**" --exclude "node_modules/**"

This creates:

• .kiro/cartography.json - File and folder hashes for change detection
• Empty codemap.md files in all relevant subdirectories

4. Delegate to Explorer agents - Dispatch explorer subagent stages per folder to read code and fill in its specific codemap.md file.

Step 3: Detect Changes (If state already exists)

1. Run cartographer.py changes to see what changed:

python3 ~/.kiro/skills/cartography/scripts/cartographer.py changes \
  --root ./

2. Review the output - It shows:

   • Added files
   • Removed files
   • Modified files
   • Affected folders

3. Only update affected codemaps - Dispatch explorer subagent stages per folder to update its codemap.md.

4. Run update to save new state:

python3 ~/.kiro/skills/cartography/scripts/cartographer.py update \
  --root ./

Step 4: Finalize Repository Atlas (Root Codemap)

Once all specific directories are mapped, the Orchestrator must create or update the root codemap.md. This file serves as the Master Entry Point for any agent or human entering the repository.

1. Map Root Assets: Document the root-level files (e.g., package.json, index.ts, plugin.json) and the project's overall purpose.
2. Aggregate Sub-Maps: Create a "Repository Directory Map" section. For every folder that has a codemap.md, extract its Responsibility summary and include it in a table or list in the root map.
3. Cross-Reference: Ensure that the root map contains the absolute or relative paths to the sub-maps so agents can jump directly to the relevant details.

Step 5: Register in kiro.md or .kiro/steering/

Kiro auto-loads kiro.md into agent context on every session. To ensure agents automatically discover and use the codemap, update (or create) kiro.md at the repo root:

1. If kiro.md already exists and already contains a ## Repository Map section, skip this step — the reference is already set up.
2. If kiro.md exists but has no ## Repository Map section, append the section below.
3. If kiro.md doesn't exist, create it with the section below.

## Repository Map

A full codemap is available at `codemap.md` in the project root.

Before working on any task, read `codemap.md` to understand:
- Project architecture and entry points
- Directory responsibilities and design patterns
- Data flow and integration points between modules

For deep work on a specific folder, also read that folder's `codemap.md`.

This is idempotent — repeated cartography runs will detect the existing section and skip. No duplication.

Codemap Content

Explorers are granted write permissions for codemap.md files during this workflow. Use precise technical terminology to document the implementation:

• Responsibility - Define the specific role of this directory using standard software engineering terms (e.g., "Service Layer", "Data Access Object", "Middleware").
• Design Patterns - Identify and name specific patterns used (e.g., "Observer", "Singleton", "Factory", "Strategy"). Detail the abstractions and interfaces.
• Data & Control Flow - Explicitly trace how data enters and leaves the module. Mention specific function call sequences and state transitions.
• Integration Points - List dependencies and consumer modules. Use technical names for hooks, events, or API endpoints.

Example codemap:

# src/agents/

## Responsibility
Defines agent personalities and manages their configuration lifecycle.

## Design
Each agent is a prompt + permission set. Config system uses:
- Default prompts (orchestrator.ts, explorer.ts, etc.)
- User overrides from ~/.config/opencode/oh-my-opencode-slim.json
- Permission wildcards for skill/MCP access control

## Flow
1. Plugin loads → calls getAgentConfigs()
2. Reads user config preset
3. Merges defaults with overrides
4. Applies permission rules (wildcard expansion)
5. Returns agent configs to OpenCode

## Integration
- Consumed by: Main plugin (src/index.ts)
- Depends on: Config loader, skills registry

Example Root Codemap (Atlas):

# Repository Atlas: oh-my-opencode-slim

## Project Responsibility
A high-performance, low-latency agent orchestration plugin for OpenCode, focusing on specialized sub-agent delegation and background task management.

## System Entry Points
- `src/index.ts`: Plugin initialization and OpenCode integration.
- `package.json`: Dependency manifest and build scripts.
- `oh-my-opencode-slim.json`: User configuration schema.

## Directory Map (Aggregated)
| Directory | Responsibility Summary | Detailed Map |
|-----------|------------------------|--------------|
| `src/agents/` | Defines agent personalities (Orchestrator, Explorer) and manages model routing. | [View Map](src/agents/codemap.md) |
| `src/features/` | Core logic for tmux integration, background task spawning, and session state. | [View Map](src/features/codemap.md) |
| `src/config/` | Implements the configuration loading pipeline and environment variable injection. | [View Map](src/config/codemap.md) |