explore-codebase

Explore Codebase

Use the codegraph index to understand the repository before editing.

Core Rules

• Prefer the host's MCP tools when exposed (codegraph_explore, codegraph_node); otherwise the same output comes from the CLI (codegraph explore, codegraph node).
• Prefer graph results for entry points, call paths, dependents, and impact; confirm anything load-bearing by reading the source it points at.
• If the index is missing or stale, run $build-graph first. If codegraph is unavailable or empty, continue with rg, manifests, README files, and config inspection.

Workflow

1. Build or sync the index if it is empty or stale ($build-graph).
2. codegraph files --format grouped for the module layout.
3. codegraph explore "<task or area>" for the relevant symbols' source plus call paths in one shot; codegraph context "<task>" for a task-shaped bundle.
4. codegraph node -f <file> --symbols-only for a file's symbols and who depends on it (hubs = files "used by" many others).
5. codegraph callers|callees <symbol> and codegraph impact <symbol> to narrow to specific symbols and risky chokepoints.

AGENTS.md Use

When helping safe-code write or reconcile AGENTS.md, follow the canonical authoring rules in the safe-code skill's references/agents-md-authoring.md (decision test, investigation order, what to extract/exclude). This skill's job is to supply graph-backed facts that feed those rules, not to define a separate authoring process.

Prefer graph-backed facts:

• major modules and files
• entry points and call paths
• hub files that many others depend on (need caution)
• languages detected by the index
• untested hotspots (source files codegraph affected maps to no test)

Do not copy raw graph dumps into docs. Convert them into compact handoff facts.