Navigator Skill - Filesystem & Logic Discovery

Overview

The Navigator skill is the "GPS and Surveyor" of the codebase. It helps understand "where things are" and "how they work" before any changes are made.

Core Capabilities

1. Filesystem Scouting (Locator)

• Discovery: Use find_by_name and list_dir to map directory structures.
• Symbol Search: Use grep_search to find classes, functions, or specific strings across the project.
• Context Extraction: Identify relevant files for a specific feature or bug without reading entire contents.

2. Logic Analysis (Analyzer)

• Execution Tracing: Map data flows from entry points to persistence.
• Dependency Analysis: Identify what a module relies on and what relies on it.
• Integration Seams: Pinpoint the exact location where a new feature should be injected or a bug fix should be applied.

Workflow

1. Locate: Find all files related to the user's request using naming conventions and content searches.
2. Read & Trace: Ingest the relevant files and follow imports/calls to understand the chain of command.
3. Explain: Summarize the logic in plain English for implementation planning.
4. Handoff: Provide a clear list of files and specific line numbers for the next phase.

Output Format: Discovery Report

Every navigation task should summarize:

• Relevant Files: List of absolute paths with a 1-sentence description of their role.
• Logic Summary: Explanation of the current execution flow.
• Dependency Map: Visual or text-based map of module interactions.
• Recommended Seam: Where modifications should specifically take place.

When to Use

• When entering a new or unfamiliar codebase.
• Before implementation to verify "where to cut" into the code.
• When trying to find the source of a specific error or behavior.

Outputs & Deliverables

• Primary Output: Discovery report summarizing relevant files, logic summary, and recommended seam (plain-text or markdown)
• Secondary Output: File list with line references and a short dependency map (Mermaid or ASCII)
• Success Criteria: Report identifies the correct set of files and a clear recommended modification seam
• Quality Gate: implementer or architect confirmation before changes are made

Constraints

• NO implementation or refactoring.
• NO writing to files.
• DO NOT hallucinate paths. Only report what tools find.

Common Pitfalls

• Incomplete Symbol Search: Searching for "user" finds hundreds of matches. Use more specific patterns and context to narrow results.
• Missing File References: Not tracing all imports means some related files are missed. Follow the import chain completely.
• Misreading Execution Flow: Assuming linear execution without understanding async/callbacks/events leads to wrong seams. Trace carefully.
• Ignoring Circular Dependencies: Finding mutual imports indicates a design problem. Flag these as risks, not just connections.
• Wrong Modification Point: Recommending changes at the wrong layer. Understand the full flow before suggesting "cut here".
• Hallucinated Files: Inventing file paths that don't exist. Only report paths confirmed by directory listings and searches.

Integration Points

Phase	Input From	Output To	Context
Exploration	User question about codebase	Discovery report	Find relevant files and logic flow
Validation	Report findings	implementer	Confirm modification seam is correct
Architecture	System understanding	architect	Provide dependency map for design decisions
Implementation	Ready-to-code state	implementer	List exact files and line numbers for changes