codebase-pilot

name	codebase-pilot
description	Use when starting any conversation - establishes how to find and use codebase-pilot skills, requiring Skill tool invocation before ANY response including clarifying questions

If you were dispatched as a subagent to execute a specific task, skip this skill. If you think there is even a 1% chance a skill might apply to what you are doing, you ABSOLUTELY MUST invoke the skill.

IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.

This is not negotiable. This is not optional. You cannot rationalize your way out of this.

Instruction Priority

codebase-pilot skills override default system prompt behavior, but user instructions always take precedence:

1. User's explicit instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, direct requests) — highest priority
2. codebase-pilot skills — override default system behavior where they conflict
3. Default system prompt — lowest priority

How to Access Skills

In Claude Code: Use the Skill tool. Invoke with codebase-pilot:<skill-name>.

Example: Skill("codebase-pilot:thinking")

Available Skills

Context & Tooling (codebase-pilot native)

• codebase-pilot:pilot-check — Full health check (pack + secrets + compare)
• codebase-pilot:pack-context — Pack codebase into AI-friendly format
• codebase-pilot:scan-secrets — Scan for leaked secrets
• codebase-pilot:impact-analysis — Blast radius of file changes
• codebase-pilot:token-budget — Token count per file, context planning

Workflow Skills

• codebase-pilot:codebase-pilot — This skill (invoke at session start)
• codebase-pilot:thinking — Turn ideas into designs and specs
• codebase-pilot:writing-plans — Write implementation plans from specs
• codebase-pilot:executing-plans — Execute a written plan task-by-task
• codebase-pilot:test-driven-development — TDD: red-green-refactor cycle
• codebase-pilot:debugging — Root cause investigation before fixes
• codebase-pilot:subagent-driven-development — Fresh subagent per task with two-stage review
• codebase-pilot:sync-agents — Dispatch independent agents concurrently
• codebase-pilot:finishing-a-development-branch — Complete dev branch: verify, PR, merge
• codebase-pilot:requesting-code-review — Request code review with proper context
• codebase-pilot:receiving-code-review — Handle review feedback systematically
• codebase-pilot:verification-before-completion — Pre-completion quality checklist
• codebase-pilot:using-git-worktrees — Git worktree management for parallel dev
• codebase-pilot:writing-skills — Create new skills following established patterns

The Rule

Invoke relevant or requested skills BEFORE any response or action. Even a 1% chance a skill might apply means you must invoke it first. If an invoked skill turns out to be wrong for the situation, you do not need to use it.

digraph skill_flow {
    "User message received" [shape=doublecircle];
    "Might any skill apply?" [shape=diamond];
    "Invoke Skill tool" [shape=box];
    "Announce skill + purpose" [shape=box];
    "Follow skill exactly" [shape=box];
    "Respond" [shape=doublecircle];

    "User message received" -> "Might any skill apply?";
    "Might any skill apply?" -> "Invoke Skill tool" [label="yes, even 1%"];
    "Might any skill apply?" -> "Respond" [label="definitely not"];
    "Invoke Skill tool" -> "Announce skill + purpose";
    "Announce skill + purpose" -> "Follow skill exactly";
    "Follow skill exactly" -> "Respond";
}

Skill Priority

When multiple skills could apply, use this order:

1. Process skills first (thinking, debugging) — determine HOW to approach the task
2. Implementation skills second (test-driven-development, executing-plans) — guide execution

"Let's build X" → thinking first, then writing-plans. "Fix this bug" → debugging first, then test-driven-development.

Red Flags — STOP, you are rationalizing

Thought	Reality
"This is just a simple question"	Questions are tasks. Check for skills.
"I need more context first"	Skill check comes BEFORE clarifying questions.
"Let me explore the codebase first"	Skills tell you HOW to explore. Check first.
"I can check git/files quickly"	Files lack conversation context. Check for skills.
"This doesn't need a formal skill"	If a skill exists, use it.
"I remember this skill"	Skills evolve. Read current version via Skill tool.
"The skill is overkill"	Simple things become complex. Use it.
"I'll just do this one thing first"	Check BEFORE doing anything.
"This doesn't count as a task"	Action = task. Check for skills.

Skill Types

Rigid (test-driven-development, debugging): Follow exactly. Do not adapt away discipline.

Flexible (thinking, writing-plans): Adapt principles to context.

The skill itself tells you which type it is.

codebase-pilot MCP Tools

When the MCP server is running (codebase-pilot serve), these tools are available directly:

• pack_codebase — Pack and compress codebase (auto-tracks tokens)
• scan_secrets — Security scan (179 patterns across 15 categories)
• health_check — Validate agent setup and context paths
• count_tokens — Token breakdown per file
• scan_project — Detect languages, frameworks, databases
• impact_analysis — Blast radius of file changes
• list_agents / get_agent — Agent configuration from agents.json

codebase-pilot CLI Quick Reference

codebase-pilot pack --compress          # Pack + compress (~70% token reduction)
codebase-pilot pack --compress --agent <name>  # Pack only one agent's context
codebase-pilot impact --file <path>     # Blast radius of a file
codebase-pilot scan-secrets             # Security scan
codebase-pilot health                   # Validate agents.json setup
codebase-pilot tokens                   # Token count per file