Iterative Code Exploration

A systematic pattern for progressively exploring and understanding unfamiliar codebases through iterative context refinement.

The Problem

When working with new codebases, you often don't know:

• Which files contain relevant code
• What patterns and conventions exist
• What terminology the project uses
• How components interact

Standard approaches fail:

• Read everything: Time-consuming and overwhelming
• Guess locations: Often misses critical context
• Ask broad questions: Returns too much irrelevant information

The Solution: 4-Phase Iterative Loop