investigate

name	investigate
description	Read-only codebase Q&A: trace code paths, answer how/why/where questions without changes. Trigger: 'how does X work', 'why was Y built this way', 'trace the data flow'.
when_to_use	Activate for read-only exploration questions. Do NOT use when code changes are needed.
argument-hint	[question about the codebase]
disable-model-invocation	true
license	Apache-2.0
compatibility	["opencode-native","claude-standalone","cursor-native","codex"]
metadata	{"author":"controlkeel","version":"1.1","category":"exploration","ck_mcp_tools":["ck_memory_search"],"related_skills":["architect-first"]}

Investigate

Read-only codebase Q&A. Trace code, not guesses. No file changes.

Do NOT use when

• Code changes are needed (use appropriate dev skill)
• The question is about planning (use align)
• The question is about security (use security-review)

Workflow

1. Search ck_memory_search for prior analysis on this area.
2. Trace actual code paths for the question type:
   • How: entry point → call chain → data flow → side effects
   • Why: git log --oneline -20 -- <file>, linked issues, commit messages
   • Where: search for function/module references, trace callers
   • What-if: trace the code path for that scenario, identify edge cases
3. Check multiple sources: source control, tests, comments. Code shows what, not why.
4. Answer concisely: direct answer + evidence (file:line, commit SHA) + caveats.

Rules

• Read-only — no file changes. If fix needed, record and recommend appropriate skill.
• Every claim backed by code evidence or git history.
• Answer what was asked — do not explore tangentially.
• Stop at external boundaries — say so instead of speculating.

Output

• Concise answer with file:line evidence
• Optional ck_memory_record for durable findings
• No file changes