Codebase Exploration

Systematic patterns for navigating and understanding codebases efficiently.

When to Use

• Onboarding to a new codebase - Understanding project structure and conventions
• Locating specific implementations - Finding where functionality lives
• Tracing dependencies - Understanding how components connect
• Architecture analysis - Mapping system structure and boundaries
• Finding usage patterns - Discovering how APIs or functions are used
• Investigating issues - Tracing code paths for debugging

Quick Structure Analysis

Start broad, then narrow down. This three-step pattern works for any codebase.

Step 1: Project Layout