What I do

•Explore repository structure and organization
•Analyze architecture and design patterns
•Trace logic across multiple files
•Research migration patterns between versions
•Compare different implementations or approaches

When to use me

Use this skill when you need:

•To understand a complex codebase structure
•To analyze architecture and design decisions
•To trace how features are implemented across files
•To research how a library or framework evolved
•To compare different implementations of similar functionality

Ask clarifying questions if:

•You need to focus on specific areas of the codebase
•You're looking for particular design patterns
•You need to understand the evolution of specific features
•You want to compare multiple repositories

How I work

Step 1: View Repository Structure

Start with a high-level overview:

bash

# View root structure
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "", "depth": 1}]}')

Step 2: Drill Down into Specific Areas

Explore specific directories in detail:

bash

# View packages directory
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "packages/next", "depth": 2}]}')

Step 3: Search for Specific Patterns

Find implementation details:

bash

# Find app router implementation
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubSearchCode", arguments='{"queries": [{"keywordsToSearch": ["app router"], "owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "packages/next"}]}')

Step 4: Analyze Pull Requests

Understand design decisions:

bash

# Find enhancement pull requests
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubSearchPullRequests", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "label": "enhancement", "limit": 10}]}')

Step 5: Compare Implementations

Analyze different approaches:

bash

# Compare Next.js and Nuxt.js authentication
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "examples/auth", "depth": 1}, {"owner": "nuxt", "repo": "nuxt.js", "path": "examples/auth", "depth": 1}]}')

Best Practices

•Start broad, then narrow - Begin with high-level structure, then drill down
•Follow the code - Trace implementation paths systematically
•Read documentation - Combine with official-docs for context
•Analyze history - Look at pull requests for design rationale
•Compare approaches - Analyze multiple implementations
•Document findings - Keep notes on architecture decisions
•Respect repository size - Large repositories may take time to analyze

Common Patterns

Architecture Analysis

bash

# Analyze Next.js architecture
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "", "depth": 1}]}')
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "vercel", "repo": "next.js", "path": "packages", "depth": 2}]}')

Migration Research

bash

# Research React hooks migration
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubSearchPullRequests", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "facebook", "repo": "react", "query": "migration", "limit": 10}]}')

Pattern Discovery

bash

# Find state management patterns
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubSearchCode", arguments='{"queries": [{"keywordsToSearch": ["useReducer"], "owner": "facebook", "repo": "react"}]}')
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubSearchCode", arguments='{"queries": [{"keywordsToSearch": ["Context"], "owner": "facebook", "repo": "react"}]}')

Dependency Analysis

bash

# Analyze package dependencies
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="packageSearch", arguments='{"queries": [{"name": "express", "ecosystem": "npm", "searchLimit": 1}]}')
mcp(mcp_name="octocode", tool_name="githubViewRepoStructure", arguments='{"queries": [{"owner": "expressjs", "repo": "express", "path": "", "depth": 2}]}')

Limitations

•Private repositories - Cannot analyze private or restricted codebases
•Repository size - Very large repositories may be complex to navigate
•Search depth - Deep searches may have limitations
•Historical data - Old versions may not be fully available
•Documentation - Some architecture decisions may not be documented
•Rate limits - GitHub API has rate limits that may affect analysis

Related Skills

•official-docs: For understanding official architecture documentation
•implementation-examples: For finding specific implementation patterns
•pr-analysis: For deep dive into design decisions and history