acquire-codebase-knowledge
The user explicitly asks to map, document, or onboard into an existing codebase
by githubFree
Description
acquire-codebase-knowledge is an agent skill from the github/awesome-copilot collection that maps an existing codebase and writes the documentation a new contributor needs to work on it. It is triggered when a user asks to map, document or onboard into a codebase. Its output is seven documents placed in a docs/codebase directory: STACK.md for the technologies in use, STRUCTURE.md for the layout of the project, ARCHITECTURE.md for how the parts fit together, CONVENTIONS.md for the coding conventions, INTEGRATIONS.md for the external services the project connects to, TESTING.md for how the project is tested, and CONCERNS.md for known risks and problems. The skill has a strict rule that only verifiable facts are written down. Every claim must be traceable to a source file, a configuration file or terminal output, and anything not known is marked as TODO, while decisions that depend on intent are marked as questions for the user. Each document lists the concrete file paths it relies on as evidence. The final response must include the numbered questions for the user and any places where the intended design differs from the code as it is. The skill is useful for onboarding onto an unfamiliar repository, for handing a project to a new team, and for producing a shared map before a large change. Because the documents are generated from the code, they should be reviewed and corrected by the people who know the project. The skill is installed with the skills CLI from the github/awesome-copilot repository. Its skills.sh page showed about 2.1K installs and passing results from three security audits at the time of the scan.…
Highlights
- Seven documents in docs/codebase
- Stack, structure, architecture and conventions
- Integrations, testing and concerns
- Every claim traced to file evidence
- TODO and ASK USER markers for unknowns
- Installs with the skills CLI
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acquire-codebase-knowledge FAQ
What does it produce?
Seven documents in docs/codebase: STACK, STRUCTURE, ARCHITECTURE, CONVENTIONS, INTEGRATIONS, TESTING and CONCERNS.
Does it guess?
No. It documents only what can be verified from files or terminal output, and marks unknowns as TODO.
What are ASK USER items?
Decisions that depend on intent, which the final response lists as numbered questions.
Who is it for?
Anyone onboarding onto an existing codebase or preparing a shared map of it before a large change.
How do I install it?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill acquire-codebase-knowledge.
What security audits does it have?
skills.sh lists three audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub Pass, Socket Pass and Snyk Pass.
What are the best acquire-codebase-knowledge alternatives?
Popular alternatives to acquire-codebase-knowledge include project-workflow-analysis-blueprint-generator, context-driven-development and scan. See all acquire-codebase-knowledge alternatives