explain-codebase

name	Explain codebase
description	Map and explain an unfamiliar codebase or module to the user.
triggers	["explain","how does this work","walk me through","understand codebase","onboarding"]

Explain codebase

Use this when the user wants to understand how a project or module works.

Steps

1. Orient. Find the entry points, the build/run commands, and any README/architecture docs. Identify the main directories and what each is responsible for.
2. Trace a path. Pick a representative flow (a request, a command, a feature) and follow it across files. Concrete paths explain a system better than abstractions.
3. Map the pieces. Note the key modules, the data model, and how components talk to each other (calls, events, HTTP, queues).
4. Explain. Summarize for the user: the big picture first, then the important components, then the one flow you traced — with clickable file:line references.
5. Point forward. Call out where to look to change X, and any sharp edges or conventions worth knowing.

Notes

• Read before asserting. Verify names/paths exist rather than inferring from memory.
• Tailor depth to the user's question — don't dump the whole tree.