Codebase Explorer
/install codebase-explorer
Codebase Onboarding
Systematically analyze unfamiliar codebases and produce structured onboarding guides.
When to Use
- First time opening a project
- Joining a new team or repository
- User asks "help me understand this codebase"
- User asks to generate a CLAUDE.md for a project
- User says "onboard me" or "walk me through this repo"
Quick Start
- Scan package manifests and config files (identify tech stack and framework)
- Map directory structure and entry points (top 2 levels)
- Trace one request lifecycle (entry → validation → business logic → database)
- Identify naming, error handling, and testing patterns
- Generate onboarding guide and starter CLAUDE.md
Key Concepts
- Reconnaissance — Use file presence patterns to infer tech stack and structure
- Architecture pattern — Identify monolith vs. monorepo, frontend/backend split, API style
- Convention detection — Extract naming, error handling, async patterns from recent code
- Guided exploration — Don't read everything; use grep/glob selectively for ambiguity
- Two-artifact output — Onboarding guide (structure + conventions) + CLAUDE.md (project instructions)
Common Usage
Most frequent patterns:
- Understanding project structure and data flow
- Documenting tech stack and architecture
- Creating starter instructions for new team members
- Identifying where to make changes (API routes, UI pages, database, tests)
- Mapping conventions (naming, error handling, git workflow)
References
references/reconnaissance.md— File patterns for framework/language detectionreferences/artifacts.md— Onboarding guide and CLAUDE.md templates, best practices, anti-patterns
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install codebase-explorer - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/codebase-explorer - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
What is Codebase Explorer?
Analyze unfamiliar codebases and generate structured onboarding guides with architecture maps, entry points, conventions, and project-specific instructions.... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 137 downloads so far.
How do I install Codebase Explorer?
Run "/install codebase-explorer" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Codebase Explorer free?
Yes, Codebase Explorer is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Codebase Explorer support?
Codebase Explorer is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (darwin, linux, win32).
Who created Codebase Explorer?
It is built and maintained by Deonte Cooper (@djc00p); the current version is v1.0.0.