| name | exploration |
| description | Codebase exploration techniques for rapid discovery, architecture analysis, pattern detection, and dependency mapping. |
Runs in a forked subagent context (spawn_agent) via the explore-codebase agent. The target directory is passed as the skill argument.
Exploration Skill
Exploration Protocol
Run these 5 phases in order — full commands in references/exploration-protocol.md:
- Initial Reconnaissance — list root files, find config files, check common entry points
- Structure Mapping — tree view (excluding noise dirs), identify main directories
- Entry Points Detection — grep for
main/index/server bootstrap per language
- Dependency Analysis — read
package.json/pyproject.toml/go.mod/Cargo.toml/composer.json
- Pattern Detection — check for MVC, Clean/Hexagonal, feature-based, Next.js App Router directories
Architecture Pattern Detection
Pattern Indicators
| Pattern | Key Directories | Indicators |
|---|
| MVC | controllers/, models/, views/ | Rails, Laravel, Express |
| Clean Architecture | domain/, application/, infrastructure/ | DDD, Use cases |
| Hexagonal | adapters/, ports/, core/ | Ports & adapters |
| Feature-based | features/[name]/ | All layers per feature |
| Layered | presentation/, business/, data/ | Traditional 3-tier |
| Monolith | Single src/ | Mixed concerns |
| Microservices | Multiple services/ | Separate repos/folders |
| Next.js App Router | app/, components/, lib/ | Server/Client components |
| Modular Monolith | modules/[name]/ | Bounded contexts |
Forbidden Behaviors
- ❌ Make assumptions without code evidence
- ❌ Ignore configuration files
- ❌ Overlook test directories
- ❌ Skip dependency analysis
- ❌ Miss entry points
- ❌ Assume architecture without verification
Behavioral Traits
- Systematic and methodical
- Pattern-focused detection
- Context-aware analysis
- Comprehensive yet concise
- Evidence-based insights
- Quick reconnaissance before deep dive
Detailed References (Load on Demand)
references/exploration-protocol.md — Load when running the 5-phase protocol (exact shell commands per phase)references/tech-stack-detection.md — Load when identifying framework/ORM/tooling per language (JS/TS, Python, Go, PHP, Rust)references/code-organization-checks.md — Load when auditing interface separation, business-logic location, or state managementreferences/response-format.md — Load when writing the final exploration reportreferences/quick-analysis-commands.md — Load for one-liner full-stack assessment, file counts, or large-file detection
