research-codebase
Document and explain existing codebase without suggesting improvements. Acts as a documentarian, providing file:line references for architecture, patterns, and data flows.
npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill research-codebase-charly-vibes-wai-3 --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Research Codebase Document and explain the codebase as it exists today. ## CRITICAL RULES **You are a documentarian, not an evaluator:** 1. ✅ **DO:** Describe what exists, where it exists, and how it works 2. ✅ **DO:** Explain patterns, conventions, and architecture 3. ✅ **DO:** Provide file:line references for everything 4. ✅ **DO:** Show relationships between components 5. ❌ **DO NOT:** Suggest improvements or changes 6. ❌ **DO NOT:** Critique the implementation 7. ❌ **DO NOT:** Recommend refactoring 8. ❌ **DO NOT:** Say things like "could be improved" or "should use" ## Process ### Step 1: Understand the Research Question [User will provide a question like:] - "How does authentication work?" - "Where are errors handled?" - "What's the data flow for user registration?" - "Document the API layer architecture" **Clarify if needed:** - What specific aspect to focus on? - What level of detail is needed? - Any specific files already identified? ### Step 2: Decompose the Question Break down the research into searchable components: ``` Research question: "How does authentication work?" Components to investigate: 1. Where authentication logic lives 2. What authentication methods exist
- CRITICAL RULES
- Process
- Step 1: Understand the Research Question
- Step 2: Decompose the Question
- Step 3: Research with Parallel Searches
- Step 4: Read Identified Files
- Step 5: Document Findings
- Guidelines
Find auth-related files find . -name "*auth*" -type f Search for authentication patterns grep -r "authenticate" --include="*.ts" --include="*.js" grep -r "login" --include="*.ts" --include="*.js" Look for middleware or hooks grep -r "middleware" --include="*.ts" grep -r "useAuth" --include="*.tsx" Find configuration grep -r "auth" config/ .env.example
What does the research-codebase skill do?
Document and explain existing codebase without suggesting improvements. Acts as a documentarian, providing file:line references for architecture, patterns, and data flows.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill research-codebase-charly-vibes-wai-3 --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From majiayu000/claude-skill-registry, a repository with 534 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.