How

Build a working mental model from the code. Explain entry points, data flow, ownership, boundaries, and non-obvious behavior. Use why when the user wants historical motivation.

Choose the mode

• Explain. Trace and explain the current system.
• Critique. Explain first, then identify architectural problems and practical improvements.

Treat one module or symbol as simple. Treat a flow across several modules or services as complex.

Explore

For a simple question, inspect and explain inline.

For a complex question, divide the system into two to four non-overlapping slices. If the host supports subagents and the user permits them, assign each slice to a read-only subagent using the parent model. Use different available models only for an explicitly requested multi-model critique. If delegation is unavailable or forbidden, inspect the slices inline in the same order.

Each slice must: