Mapping Domain Vocabulary

Mapping Domain Vocabulary

Overview

The fastest index into complex cross-subsystem code is not the call chain — it is the domain vocabulary. Read the code as a dictionary: exhaustively extract every domain word (models, enums, fields, actions), give each a one-sentence role, and organize them into an ASCII tree grouped by subsystem → module → word.

Core principle: vocabulary before mechanism. Newcomers don't get stuck on flows; they get stuck on nouns. Once hold, entitlement, subminor are understood as words, the call chains read themselves.

When to Use

• The user asks to "survey the code for X" / "help me quickly understand domain Y" (梳理/盘点)
• The domain spans 2+ directories/services/packages (e.g. commerce + billing + sdk)
• You need a panoramic grasp of a subdomain before design or refactoring

NOT for: single-file/single-module questions (just read it); questions about one specific flow (explain the call chain instead).

Process

1. Draw boundaries: split the domain into 2–4 subsystems by directory/service/package. 2. Fan out in parallel: dispatch one Explore subagent per subsystem (all in a single message) using the prompt template below, demanding exhaustive collection. 3. Merge into a tree: in the main session, dedupe and merge, then organize an ASCII tree by layer → module → word (format per the explaining-with-ascii-tree skill). Leaf = word ...... one-sentence role. 4. Dualities after the tree: cross-layer synonyms/dual terms (e.g. order↔entry), flow directions, and unit conventions go in 1–2 short paragraphs after the tree — never a paragraph per branch. 5. Archive: the output is ready to save as-is (Obsidian/docs).

Subagent Prompt Template

Explore <subsystem path> (<one-line description>), search breadth: very thorough.
Goal: collect all domain vocabulary related to <domain> (English words / identifiers).
1. Read the module's README/docs first (if any)
2. Sweep every submodule's models, schemas, service, routes
Return a list grouped by module, one term per line:
word | role (one sentence, in the conversation language) | path:line
Be exhaustive: model class names, every enum value, key concept fields,
task names, external integration concepts, exceptions. Err on the side of
too many. Return raw data — no polish needed.

Common Mistakes

Example

The payment/billing domain of this repo (commerce + billing + sdk, three subsystems) was swept in one round with 2 parallel subagents; output archived as the Obsidian note「付费扣费领域词汇表」.