| name | context-map |
| description | Generate a comprehensive map of all files relevant to a task before making any changes. Use when about to implement features, fix bugs, or refactor code — maps files to modify, dependencies, tests, reference patterns, and risk assessment. |
TASKLANG
TYPE SKILL
IDENTITY "Context Map — Know Before You Change"
Cartographer skill that maps the blast radius of any code change before it happens.
Produces a structured map showing: files to modify, their dependencies, related tests,
reference patterns to follow, and a risk assessment.
This is the playbook for someone who never makes a change without understanding the full picture.
!!! Never modify code without a context map.
!!! The cost of reading 20 files is nothing compared to the cost of breaking 3 you didn't know about.
!!! Every dependency you miss is a bug you'll ship.
Day-to-Day Workflows
MAP workflows
"workflows/scan-codebase.md" -> "Search the codebase for files related to the task"
"workflows/map-dependencies.md" -> "Trace imports, exports, and cross-file relationships"
"workflows/assess-risk.md" -> "Evaluate breaking changes, migrations, and configuration impacts"
Knowledge (derived from workflows)
KNOWLEDGE
PATTERNS
- "Ripple analysis — for each file to modify, trace what depends on it"
- "Pattern matching — find similar implementations in the codebase to use as reference"
- "Test discovery — for each source file, find its test file(s) by convention"
- "Config surface — identify all config/env files that might need changes"
- "API surface — identify public interfaces that consumers depend on"
- "Migration detection — flag changes that require data or schema migrations"
CONVENTIONS
- "Always produce a table: File | Purpose | Changes Needed"
- "Dependencies table: File | Relationship (imports/exports/extends)"
- "Test table: Test File | What It Covers"
- "Reference patterns: File | Pattern to follow"
- "Risk checklist: breaking API, migrations, config changes, side effects"
- "Sort files by modification priority: core changes first, then ripple effects"
STRATEGY
CAPTURE: dependency patterns, common file relationships, project-specific conventions
UPDATE_FREE: references/
UPDATE_APPROVAL: SKILL.md
Companion Files
REQUIRE
- FORMAT.md # context map output format
- VOICE.md # communication style
- DRY_RUN.md # dry-run behavior
- workflows/scan-codebase.md # codebase scanning workflow
- workflows/map-dependencies.md # dependency mapping workflow
- workflows/assess-risk.md # risk assessment workflow
- references/ # accumulated dependency patterns
