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name: dev-explore description: Explore and understand codebases with interconnected documentation. Use when onboarding to a new project, exporting docs for external LLM tools, or generating portfolio artifacts.

dev-explore

Systematic codebase exploration and documentation generation.

Scope

This skill covers codebase understanding—exploring unfamiliar code, generating analysis, and creating consolidated documentation. Part of the dev-* family alongside dev-inquiry, dev-reports, and dev-context.

Routing

Based on what you need, I'll reference the appropriate mode:

Analyze Mode

When: Understanding a new codebase, onboarding Template: templates/analyze-base.md + tech-specific templates Output: codebase_analysis.md

Generates:

• Tech stack breakdown
• Directory structure analysis
• File-by-file breakdown
• Architecture patterns
• Mermaid diagrams

Export Mode

When: Consolidating docs for external LLM tools (NotebookLM, etc.) Template: templates/export.md Output: docs/exports/ directory

Consolidates documentation into numbered files for easy upload:

docs/exports/
├── 01-project-overview.md    # CLAUDE.md
├── 02-architecture-decisions.md  # All ADRs
├── 03-design-docs.md         # Design documentation
├── 04-mlx-system.md          # MLX-specific docs
├── 05-devlog-current.md      # Active devlogs
├── 06-devlog-archive.md      # Archived devlogs
├── 07-specs.md               # Issue specs
└── 08-uml.md                 # UML diagrams

Process:

1. Clear docs/exports/ directory
2. For each category, concatenate source files with source headers
3. Write consolidated output files

Portfolio Mode

When: Resume/interview preparation, showcasing work Template: templates/portfolio.md Output: PROJECT.md

Generates:

• Elevator pitch
• Problem/solution narrative
• Technical implementation
• Resume bullet points
• Interview talking points

How to Use

1. Identify the mode from the request
2. Load the appropriate template from templates/
3. Detect technology stack and load tech templates from templates/tech/
4. Reference examples in examples/ for output quality

Default to analyze mode if unclear.

Technology Detection

Auto-detect and load specialized templates:

Indicator	Technology	Template
Package.swift, *.xcodeproj	iOS/Swift	templates/tech/ios-swift.md
build.gradle.kts with android	Android/Kotlin	templates/tech/android-kotlin.md
wrangler.toml	Cloudflare Worker	templates/tech/cloudflare-worker.md
@modelcontextprotocol/sdk	MCP Server	templates/tech/mcp-server.md
tsconfig.json	TypeScript	templates/tech/typescript.md
jest.config.js	Jest	templates/tech/jest-testing.md

Best Practices

1. Run Analyze first when joining a project
2. Use Export before uploading docs to external LLM tools
3. Use Portfolio after milestones while context is fresh
4. Regenerate Export after major documentation changes

Related Skills

• dev-inquiry - Investigation and technical decisions
• dev-reports - Journals and status reports
• dev-context - ADR/Design/Spec/Plan scaffolding