Explore Codebase
- 831 installs
- 28.5k repo stars
- Updated August 2, 2026
- tirth8205/code-review-graph
explore codebase is an agent skill that maps unfamiliar repositories through code-review-graph MCP tools for developers who need architecture overviews, module boundaries, and call relationships before changing code.
About
explore codebase is a code-review-graph companion skill that walks agents through knowledge-graph exploration of an unfamiliar or complex repository. It prescribes MCP tool calls including list_graph_stats, get_architecture_overview_tool, list_communities_tool, semantic_search_nodes_tool, query_graph_tool for callers_of and callees_of, and list_flows with get_flow for execution paths. Developers reach for explore codebase when onboarding to a large monorepo, tracing dependencies, or locating functions and classes before a refactor or review. The skill depends on a pre-built code-review-graph index rather than raw grep alone.
- 6-step guided exploration workflow using code-review-graph MCP tools
- Always begins with get_minimal_context to minimize token usage
- Supports semantic_search_nodes, callers_of, callees_of, and execution flow tracing
- Enforces detail_level="minimal" and hard token budget of ≤800 output tokens
- Targets completion of any review/debug/refactor task in ≤5 tool calls
Explore Codebase by the numbers
- 831 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #172 of 1,352 Code Review & Quality skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: LOW risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
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| Installs | 831 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 28.5k |
| Security audit | 3 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | August 2, 2026 |
| Repository | tirth8205/code-review-graph ↗ |
How do you map an unfamiliar codebase quickly?
Quickly map and understand an unfamiliar or complex codebase using a pre-built knowledge graph before making changes.
Who is it for?
Developers onboarding to large or legacy repos who need graph-based architecture and call-flow orientation before edits.
Skip if: Greenfield projects with no indexed knowledge graph or tasks that only need a single-file lint fix.
When should I use this skill?
A developer or agent must understand repository structure, modules, call graphs, or execution flows in an indexed codebase.
What you get
Architecture overview, community module map, semantic node matches, and caller-callee relationship traces.
- architecture overview
- call relationship map
- execution flow trace
Files
Explore Codebase
Use the code-review-graph MCP tools to explore and understand the codebase.
Steps
1. Run list_graph_stats to see overall codebase metrics. 2. Run get_architecture_overview_tool for high-level community structure. 3. Use list_communities_tool to find major modules, then get_community for details. 4. Use semantic_search_nodes_tool to find specific functions or classes. 5. Use query_graph_tool with patterns like callers_of, callees_of, imports_of to trace relationships. 6. Use list_flows and get_flow to understand execution paths.
Tips
- Start broad (stats, architecture) then narrow down to specific areas.
- Use
children_ofon a file to see all its functions and classes. - Use
find_large_functionsto identify complex code.
Token Efficiency Rules
- ALWAYS start with
get_minimal_context(task="<your task>")before any other graph tool. - Use
detail_level="minimal"on all calls. Only escalate to "standard" when minimal is insufficient. - Target: complete any review/debug/refactor task in ≤5 tool calls and ≤800 total output tokens.
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Which MCP tools does explore codebase use?
explore codebase uses code-review-graph MCP tools including list_graph_stats, get_architecture_overview_tool, list_communities_tool, semantic_search_nodes_tool, query_graph_tool, list_flows, and get_flow.
When should developers use explore codebase?
Developers should use explore codebase when onboarding to an unfamiliar or complex repository and needing module boundaries, symbol search, and caller-callee relationships from a pre-built graph.
Is Explore Codebase safe to install?
skills.sh reports 3 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.