explore

name	explore
description	Explores codebase structure, stack, and architecture. Triggers: explore codebase, project structure, stack overview, architecture map.
user-invocable	true
effort	medium
argument-hint	[path or question]
allowed-tools	Read, Grep, Glob

Codebase Exploration

$ARGUMENTS

Explore and understand a codebase structure.

Project context

• Config files: !find . -maxdepth 2 -type f -name "*.json" -o -name "*.toml" -o -name "*.yaml" -o -name "*.yml" 2>/dev/null | head -20

Usage

/explore [path]

What This Command Does

1. Maps project structure
2. Identifies technology stack
3. Finds key files and patterns
4. Reports architecture overview

Output Format

## Codebase Analysis Report

### Project Type
- **Language**: [TypeScript/Python/PHP/etc.]
- **Framework**: [Next.js/FastAPI/Laravel/etc.]
- **Package Manager**: [npm/pnpm/pip/composer]

### Directory Structure

project/ ├── src/ # Source code ├── tests/ # Test files ├── config/ # Configuration └── ...

### Key Files
| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `src/index.ts` | Entry point |
| `src/api/` | API routes |

### Dependencies
- **Runtime**: [list]
- **Dev**: [list]

### Patterns Detected
- [Pattern 1]
- [Pattern 2]

### Entry Points
- [Entry 1]
- [Entry 2]

Technology Detection

Marker	Technology
package.json	Node.js
tsconfig.json	TypeScript
next.config.*	Next.js
nuxt.config.*	Nuxt
pyproject.toml	Python
composer.json	PHP
pubspec.yaml	Flutter/Dart
Cargo.toml	Rust
go.mod	Go

When to Use

• Starting work on unfamiliar codebase
• Before planning major changes
• Understanding dependencies
• Finding specific code patterns

READ-ONLY

This skill ONLY reads and analyzes. It does NOT write or modify any files.

Visual Output

For an interactive HTML tree visualization of the codebase:

python ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/visualize.py .

This generates codebase-map.html with collapsible directories, file sizes, and type-colored indicators.

KB Integration

smart_query("codebase analysis: {technology}")
hybrid_search_kb("project structure {framework}")

Rules

• MUST use Glob and Grep before Read — scan for shape before opening files
• MUST deliver a map of the codebase (entry points, layers, module boundaries), not a file listing — a tree without interpretation is noise
• NEVER read every file sequentially; target reads via grep patterns and filename globs
• NEVER modify any file — this is a read-only skill
• CRITICAL: when the repo contains generated code (node_modules, vendor/, dist/, build/), exclude it from scans or the signal drowns in generated noise
• MANDATORY: summarize the stack once at the top (language, framework, package manager, test runner) before diving into structure

Gotchas

• find . and ls -R ignore .gitignore by default and include node_modules, vendor/, .venv/, target/. Use git ls-files or fd / rg for a git-aware listing, or explicitly prune.
• package.json says "type": "module" → ESM; absence → CommonJS. Mixing them without noticing produces "Cannot use import statement outside a module" errors later; call out the setting in the report.
• Frameworks with file-based routing (Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit) treat the app/ or pages/ tree as the router. A directory listing alone does not reveal routes — the framework convention does. Name the framework first, then the routes.
• pyproject.toml can declare multiple project layouts (src/, flat, namespace packages). "Where is the main code" is not obvious without reading [tool.setuptools.packages] or [tool.poetry.packages].
• Large monorepos use workspaces (pnpm-workspace.yaml, nx.json, turbo.json) with apps and packages. Treating the root as the project conceals the actual component boundaries — surface the workspace topology first.

When NOT to Use

• To explain a specific module's design — use /explain
• To find a specific identifier or symbol — use Grep directly or /research-mastery
• To audit architecture for deepening candidates — use /architecture-audit
• To scaffold a new project — use /app-builder
• When the user already knows the codebase — skip the overview and jump to the concrete task