About exploration
exploration is a codebase reconnaissance skill for developers and agents who need a concise, evidence-based map before deeper analysis. It follows five ordered phases and reports the tech stack, entry points, and detected architecture patterns.
Key features
- 01Five-phase codebase reconnaissance
- 02Project structure and entry-point mapping
- 03Dependency manifest analysis
- 04Architecture pattern detection
- 05Evidence-based structured reports
Use cases
- 01Surveying an unfamiliar repository before implementation
- 02Preparing codebase context for deeper analysis
- 03Identifying architecture patterns from project files
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
$
npx skills add https:/After installing, type/explorationin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Details
From the project README
Exploration runs a 5-phase reconnaissance protocol for rapid codebase discovery: initial reconnaissance (root files, config, entry points), structure mapping, entry-point detection per language, dependency analysis (package.json/pyproject.toml/go.mod/Cargo.toml/composer.json), and architecture-pattern detection (MVC, Clean, Hexagonal, feature-based, layered, modular monolith, Next.js App Router, and more).
It is evidence-based only -- no assumptions without code proof -- and produces a structured report of tech stack, entry points, and detected architecture pattern for whoever consumes it (typically the APEX Analyze phase or a domain expert).
Session: ${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID}
Exploration Skill
Exploration Protocol
Run these 5 phases in order — full commands in references/exploration-protocol.md:
- Initial Reconnaissance — list root files, find config files, check common entry points
- Structure Mapping — tree view (excluding noise dirs), identify main directories
- Entry Points Detection — grep for
main/index/server bootstrap per language - Dependency Analysis — read
package.json/pyproject.toml/go.mod/Cargo.toml/composer.json - Pattern Detection — check for MVC, Clean/Hexagonal, feature-based, Next.js App Router directories
Architecture Pattern Detection
Pattern Indicators
| Pattern | Key Directories | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| MVC | controllers/, models/, views/ | Rails, Laravel, Express |
| Clean Architecture | domain/, application/, infrastructure/ | DDD, Use cases |
| Hexagonal | adapters/, ports/, core/ | Ports & adapters |
| Feature-based | features/[name]/ | All layers per feature |
| Layered | presentation/, business/, data/ | Traditional 3-tier |
| Monolith | Single src/ | Mixed concerns |
| Microservices | Multiple services/ | Separate repos/folders |
| Next.js App Router | app/, components/, lib/ | Server/Client components |
| Modular Monolith | modules/[name]/ | Bounded contexts |
Forbidden Behaviors
- ❌ Make assumptions without code evidence
- ❌ Ignore configuration files
- ❌ Overlook test directories
- ❌ Skip dependency analysis
- ❌ Miss entry points
- ❌ Assume architecture without verification
Behavioral Traits
- Systematic and methodical
- Pattern-focused detection
- Context-aware analysis
- Comprehensive yet concise
- Evidence-based insights
- Quick reconnaissance before deep dive
Detailed References (Load on Demand)
references/exploration-protocol.md— Load when running the 5-phase protocol (exact shell commands per phase)references/tech-stack-detection.md— Load when identifying framework/ORM/tooling per language (JS/TS, Python, Go, PHP, Rust)references/code-organization-checks.md— Load when auditing interface separation, business-logic location, or state managementreferences/response-format.md— Load when writing the final exploration reportreferences/quick-analysis-commands.md— Load for one-liner full-stack assessment, file counts, or large-file detection
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