dotnet-repository-explorer

name	dotnet-repository-explorer
description	Map the active .NET base code, its actual module responsibilities, and request execution flows after project documentation is understood. Use before analyzing a BA task to build evidence-based project understanding without assuming an architecture.

.NET Repository Explorer

Purpose

Create a coverage-complete, evidence-based model of the active base code without assuming any architecture or library. Complete means every active project and cross-cutting concern is accounted for; it does not require reading every source file line by line.

When to use

Use after dotnet-project-documentation-reader and before task analysis. Re-run focused mapping if a later task reveals a previously unexamined project area.

Assumptions

• Workspace protection and applicable documentation reports are available.
• The repository may contain multiple solutions, executable services, shared libraries, tests, tools, and legacy code.
• Names such as CQRS, repository, or clean architecture are conclusions only when code or documentation demonstrates them.

Required inputs

• Workspace Inspection Report.
• Project Documentation Report.
• Target repository root.
• Task dossier state and evidence registry when resuming.

Workflow

1. When a dossier exists, compare its architecture fingerprint and project map with the current solution/project files. Revalidate only changed or task-relevant areas unless STRICT mode requires wider coverage.
2. Inventory solution files, project files, project references, target frameworks, package references, and configuration roots.
3. Map every active project and its responsibility. Read startup paths, composition roots, dependency injection registration, host configuration, and primary entry points.
4. Trace representative real request paths from controller, endpoint, consumer, or UI boundary through application and data access to responses. Describe the actual sequence, for example Endpoint → service → DbContext → response, only when evidenced.
5. Identify controllers/endpoints, commands/queries and handlers if present, domain models, persistence, Entity Framework Core setup if present, authentication, authorization, validation, logging, errors, background jobs, file storage, and external services.
6. Identify all test projects and the current business modules. Record dependency direction from project references and call paths rather than folder names alone. Mark generated, deprecated, sample, and legacy areas to avoid treating them as active conventions.
7. Do not inspect a BA task or recommend implementation; explain only the current system.

Evidence priority

Use this order for any interpretation: 1) resolved task requirements, 2) original task requirements, 3) repository instructions and documentation, 4) approved merge requests, 5) resolved review comments, 6) recent merged code, 7) repeated current project patterns, 8) similar implementations, 9) generic .NET practices. Generic practices never override explicit task or project rules.

Safety rules

• Use read-only inspection; do not alter code, configuration, data, branches, or packages.
• Do not label a pattern as project-wide from one source file.
• Do not assume CQRS, MediatR, Clean Architecture, repositories, EF Core, or a test framework because their names are familiar.
• Keep secrets out of the report.

Stop conditions

Stop and report limited coverage when solutions cannot restore or parse, modules are unavailable, or documentation identifies protected areas that cannot be inspected. Do not compensate with generic .NET assumptions.

Required output

Produce a Project Understanding Report, using ../../templates/project-understanding-report.md as the report structure. Include solution/project map, target frameworks and dependencies, architecture and dependency direction, actual request flows, cross-cutting implementation map, tests, active business modules, evidence paths, and uncertainties. Cite evidence-registry IDs and identify whether each area is new, revalidated, or reused.

Handoff to the next skill

Pass the Project Understanding Report, documentation rules, and module map to dotnet-team-pattern-learner.