codebase-analysis
Systematically analyze codebase structure, complexity, dependencies, and architectural patterns to understand project organization
Best use case
codebase-analysis is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Systematically analyze codebase structure, complexity, dependencies, and architectural patterns to understand project organization
Teams using codebase-analysis should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/codebase-analysis/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How codebase-analysis Compares
| Feature / Agent | codebase-analysis | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Systematically analyze codebase structure, complexity, dependencies, and architectural patterns to understand project organization
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Codebase Analysis Skill
## Objective
Perform comprehensive, systematic analysis of project codebases to understand:
- Project structure and organization
- Technology stack and dependencies
- Architectural patterns and conventions
- Code complexity and quality metrics
- Key components and their relationships
## When to Use This Skill
Auto-invoke when:
- Starting work on a new project
- User asks to "analyze", "review", "audit", or "understand" the codebase
- Before making architectural decisions
- Planning refactoring or major changes
- Onboarding new developers
## Analysis Methodology
### Phase 1: Discovery (Project Structure)
**Goal**: Map the high-level project organization
**Tools**: Glob, LS, Read
**Process**:
1. **Identify project type** by reading `package.json`, `tsconfig.json`, or framework-specific configs
2. **Map directory structure** using LS at root level:
```
Key directories to identify:
- Source code: src/, app/, pages/, components/
- Tests: __tests__/, tests/, *.test.*, *.spec.*
- Config: config/, .config/
- Documentation: docs/, README.md
- Build output: dist/, build/, .next/
```
3. **Scan for important files**:
- Build configs: `vite.config.*, webpack.config.*, next.config.*`
- TypeScript: `tsconfig.json`, `tsconfig.*.json`
- Package management: `package.json`, `package-lock.json`, `yarn.lock`, `pnpm-lock.yaml`
- Environment: `.env*`, `.env.example`
- Git: `.gitignore`, `.git/`
### Phase 2: Technology Stack Analysis
**Goal**: Identify frameworks, libraries, and versions
**Tools**: Read, Grep
**Process**:
1. **Read package.json**:
- Extract `dependencies` (runtime libraries)
- Extract `devDependencies` (development tools)
- Note `scripts` (available commands)
- Check `engines` (Node.js version requirements)
2. **Identify framework**:
- Next.js: Check for `next` in dependencies, `next.config.*`, `app/` or `pages/` directory
- React: Check for `react` and `react-dom`
- Vue: Check for `vue`, `*.vue` files
- Svelte: Check for `svelte`, `*.svelte` files
- Angular: Check for `@angular/core`, `angular.json`
3. **Identify key libraries**:
- State management: Redux, Zustand, MobX, Pinia
- Routing: react-router, vue-router, next/navigation
- UI libraries: MUI, Ant Design, shadcn/ui, Chakra UI
- Styling: Tailwind CSS, styled-components, emotion, CSS modules
- Testing: Vitest, Jest, Playwright, Cypress
- Build tools: Vite, Webpack, esbuild, Turbopack
### Phase 3: Architecture Pattern Analysis
**Goal**: Understand code organization and patterns
**Tools**: Grep, Glob, Read
**Process**:
1. **Component patterns** (for React/Vue/Svelte):
```
Use Glob to find: **/*.{jsx,tsx,vue,svelte}
Analyze:
- Component naming conventions
- File structure (co-located styles, tests)
- Component size (lines of code)
```
2. **API/Backend patterns**:
```
Use Grep to search for:
- API routes: "export.*GET|POST|PUT|DELETE"
- Database queries: "prisma\.|mongoose\.|sql"
- Authentication: "auth|jwt|session"
```
3. **State management patterns**:
```
Use Grep to find:
- Context API: "createContext|useContext"
- Redux: "createSlice|useSelector"
- Zustand: "create.*useStore"
```
4. **File organization patterns**:
- Monorepo: Check for `packages/`, `apps/`, `turbo.json`, `nx.json`
- Feature-based: Check for directories like `features/`, `modules/`
- Layer-based: Check for `components/`, `services/`, `utils/`, `hooks/`
### Phase 4: Code Quality & Complexity Assessment
**Goal**: Identify potential issues and technical debt
**Tools**: Grep, Bash, Read
**Process**:
1. **Linting & Formatting**:
- Check for: `.eslintrc*`, `.prettierrc*`, `biome.json`
- Run linter if available: `npm run lint` (via Bash)
2. **Testing coverage**:
- Find test files: Use Glob for `**/*.{test,spec}.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}`
- Calculate coverage: Run `npm run test:coverage` if available
3. **TypeScript strictness**:
- Read `tsconfig.json`
- Check `strict: true`, `strictNullChecks`, etc.
- Look for `@ts-ignore` or `any` usage (Grep)
4. **Code complexity indicators**:
```
Use Grep to flag potential issues:
- Large files: Find files > 500 lines
- Deep nesting: Search for excessive indentation
- TODO/FIXME comments: Grep for "TODO|FIXME|HACK"
- Console logs: Grep for "console\.(log|debug|warn)"
```
### Phase 5: Dependency & Security Analysis
**Goal**: Identify outdated or vulnerable dependencies
**Tools**: Bash, Read
**Process**:
1. **Check for lock files**:
- Presence of `package-lock.json`, `yarn.lock`, `pnpm-lock.yaml`
2. **Run security audit** (if npm/pnpm available):
```bash
npm audit --json
# or
pnpm audit --json
```
3. **Check for outdated dependencies**:
```bash
npm outdated
```
## Output Format
Provide a structured analysis report:
```markdown
# Codebase Analysis Report
## Project Overview
- **Name**: [project name from package.json]
- **Type**: [framework/library]
- **Version**: [version]
- **Node.js**: [required version]
## Technology Stack
### Core Framework
- [Framework name & version]
### Key Dependencies
- UI: [library]
- State: [library]
- Routing: [library]
- Styling: [library]
- Testing: [library]
### Build Tools
- [Vite/Webpack/etc]
## Architecture
### Directory Structure
```
[tree-like representation of key directories]
```
### Patterns Identified
- [Component patterns]
- [State management approach]
- [API structure]
- [File organization]
## Code Quality Metrics
- **TypeScript**: [strict/loose/none]
- **Linting**: [ESLint/Biome/none]
- **Testing**: [X test files found, coverage: Y%]
- **Code Issues**: [TODOs: X, Console logs: Y]
## Recommendations
1. [Priority recommendation]
2. [Next priority]
3. ...
## Risk Areas
- [Potential issues or technical debt]
## Next Steps
- [Suggested actions based on analysis]
```
## Best Practices
1. **Progressive Detail**: Start with high-level overview, dive deeper only when needed
2. **Context Window Management**: For large codebases, analyze in chunks (by directory/feature)
3. **Tool Selection**:
- Use Glob for file discovery (faster than find)
- Use Grep for pattern search (faster than reading all files)
- Use Read only for critical files (package.json, configs)
4. **Time Efficiency**: Complete analysis in < 60 seconds for typical projects
5. **Actionable Insights**: Always provide specific, actionable recommendations
## Integration with Other Skills
This skill works well with:
- `quality-gates` - Use analysis results to run appropriate quality checks
- `project-initialization` - Compare against templates to identify missing setup
- `refactoring-safe` - Identify refactoring opportunities
- Framework-specific skills (`nextjs-optimization`, `react-patterns`) - Auto-invoke based on detected framework
## Error Handling
If analysis cannot complete:
1. **Missing dependencies**: Suggest running `npm install`
2. **Corrupted files**: Report specific files and continue with partial analysis
3. **Large codebase**: Switch to targeted analysis mode (specific directories only)
4. **Permission issues**: Request necessary file access permissions
## Version History
- **1.0.0** (2025-01-03): Initial skill creation with progressive disclosure supportRelated Skills
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