// Analyzes codebases to understand structure, tech stack, patterns, and conventions. Use when onboarding to a new project, exploring unfamiliar code, or when asked "how does this work?" or "what's the architecture?"
| name | analyzing-projects |
| description | Analyzes codebases to understand structure, tech stack, patterns, and conventions. Use when onboarding to a new project, exploring unfamiliar code, or when asked "how does this work?" or "what's the architecture?" |
Copy this checklist and track progress:
Project Analysis Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Quick overview (README, root files)
- [ ] Step 2: Detect tech stack
- [ ] Step 3: Map project structure
- [ ] Step 4: Identify key patterns
- [ ] Step 5: Find development workflow
- [ ] Step 6: Generate summary report
# Check for common project markers
ls -la
cat README.md 2>/dev/null | head -50
package.json → Node.js/JavaScript/TypeScriptrequirements.txt / pyproject.toml / setup.py → Pythongo.mod → GoCargo.toml → Rustpom.xml / build.gradle → JavaGemfile → RubyDockerfile, docker-compose.yml → Containerizedkubernetes/, k8s/ → Kubernetesterraform/, .tf files → IaCserverless.yml → Serverless Framework.github/workflows/ → GitHub ActionsPresent as a tree with annotations:
project/
├── src/ # Source code
│ ├── components/ # UI components (React/Vue)
│ ├── services/ # Business logic
│ ├── models/ # Data models
│ └── utils/ # Shared utilities
├── tests/ # Test files
├── docs/ # Documentation
└── config/ # Configuration
Look for and report:
Check for:
.eslintrc, .prettierrc → Linting/Formatting.husky/ → Git hooksMakefile → Build commandsscripts/ in package.json → NPM scriptsGenerate a summary using this template:
# Project: [Name]
## Overview
[1-2 sentence description]
## Tech Stack
| Category | Technology |
| --------- | ---------- |
| Language | TypeScript |
| Framework | Next.js 14 |
| Database | PostgreSQL |
| ... | ... |
## Architecture
[Description with simple ASCII diagram if helpful]
## Key Directories
- `src/` - [purpose]
- `lib/` - [purpose]
## Entry Points
- Main: `src/index.ts`
- API: `src/api/`
- Tests: `npm test`
## Conventions
- [Naming conventions]
- [File organization patterns]
- [Code style preferences]
## Quick Commands
| Action | Command |
| ------- | --------------- |
| Install | `npm install` |
| Dev | `npm run dev` |
| Test | `npm test` |
| Build | `npm run build` |
After completing analysis, verify:
Analysis Validation:
- [ ] All major directories explained
- [ ] Tech stack accurately identified
- [ ] Entry points documented
- [ ] Development commands verified working
- [ ] No assumptions made without evidence
If any items cannot be verified, note them as "needs clarification" in the report.
Convex backend development guidelines. Use when writing Convex functions, schemas, queries, mutations, actions, or any backend code in a Convex project. Triggers on tasks involving Convex database operations, real-time subscriptions, file storage, or serverless functions.
Implements error handling patterns, structured logging, retry strategies, circuit breakers, and graceful degradation. Use when designing error handling, setting up logging, implementing retries, adding error tracking, or when asked about error boundaries, log aggregation, alerting, or resilience patterns.
Implements authentication, authorization, encryption, secrets management, and security hardening patterns. Use when designing auth flows, managing secrets, configuring CORS, implementing rate limiting, or when asked about JWT, OAuth, password hashing, API keys, RBAC, or security best practices.
React and Next.js performance optimization guidelines from Vercel Engineering. This skill should be used when writing, reviewing, or refactoring React/Next.js code to ensure optimal performance patterns. Triggers on tasks involving React components, Next.js pages, data fetching, bundle optimization, or performance improvements.
Designs database schemas, indexing strategies, query optimization, and migration patterns for SQL and NoSQL databases. Use when designing tables, optimizing queries, fixing N+1 problems, planning migrations, or when asked about database performance, normalization, ORMs, or data modeling.
Designs REST and GraphQL APIs including endpoints, error handling, versioning, and documentation. Use when creating new APIs, designing endpoints, reviewing API contracts, or when asked about REST, GraphQL, or API patterns.