Overview

Prime yourself on a codebase by listing files and reading the README. This approach quickly orients you to repo structure, entry points, and setup by using git ls-files to enumerate tracked files and inspecting README.md for goals and usage.

How This Skill Works

Run git ls-files to collect all tracked files, then Read README.md to extract project goals, installation steps, and usage. Combine these findings to form a concise understanding of the repository’s structure and primary components.

When to Use It

• Onboarding to a new repository to quickly grasp its layout.
• Starting work on a bug or feature with minimal context.
• Assessing a large monorepo to identify relevant modules.
• Preparing for a code review or contribution with a quick repo recap.
• Documenting initial understanding to share with teammates.

Quick Start

1. Step 1: Run git ls-files to list all tracked files.
2. Step 2: Read README.md to capture the repo's goals, setup, and usage.
3. Step 3: Synthesize a concise understanding of the structure, entry points, and next steps.

Best Practices

• Run in the repository root to ensure you capture the true file set.
• Trust git ls-files as the source of truth for tracked files.
• Read README.md early to identify core modules and setup steps.
• Note key directories (e.g., src, docs, tests) and common entry points.
• Summarize findings in a brief, actionable plan for next steps.

Example Use Cases

• Node.js library: ls-files reveals src/ and package.json; README.md explains installation and usage.
• Python package: ls-files shows setup.py, src/, tests/; README.md outlines install and run commands.
• Go module: ls-files lists cmd/, pkg/, go.mod; README.md describes build and test steps.
• Web app: ls-files includes app/, public/, package.json; README.md covers environment setup.
• CLI tool: ls-files shows cmd/ main.go; README.md details how to install and run commands.

Frequently Asked Questions