---
name: a5c-ai/codebase-research
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/a5c-ai-codebase-research@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: 5875966d17ba
---

- Investigating how an existing feature works before modifying it
- Understanding dependencies and data flows before planning
- Gathering context for a known goal

## Process

1. **Understand the request** - Ask clarifying questions one at a time (purpose, specifics, scope, constraints, context). Do NOT read any files until confirmed.
2. **Explore the codebase** - Use file-finder agent, read in order, trace data flows, identify constraints.
3. **Document findings** - Write structured research document to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>-research.md`.
4. **Transition** - Ask: plan, continue research, or conclude.

## Key Rules

- Quotations from source material capped at 125 characters maximum
- Only proceed to exploration after human confirms understanding
- Use file-finder agent for initial file discovery
- Use web-researcher agent for external context needs

## Agents Used

- `agents/file-finder/` - Locates relevant files with suggested reading order
- `agents/web-researcher/` - Gathers external context when needed

## Tool Use

Invoke via babysitter process: `methodologies/rpikit/rpikit-research`