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name explore-codebase
description Efficiently explore and understand an unfamiliar codebase using token-lean context gathering. Maps project structure, identifies key files, and builds understanding progressively without reading everything. Use when onboarding to a new project, asked to understand a codebase, or starting work in unfamiliar code.
compatibility Requires tokenlean CLI tools (npm i -g tokenlean) and git

Explore Codebase

Understand a project in minutes by reading as little raw code as possible.

Workflow

Structure → Key areas → Drill down → Report

1. Get the map

tl structure

This shows directories, file counts, and token estimates. Identify:

  • Where the bulk of the code lives
  • Entry points (usually obvious from directory names)
  • Test coverage presence

2. Find entry points and hot files

tl parallel "tl entry" "tl hotspots"

Entry points tell you where execution starts. Hotspots tell you where development is active.

3. Understand key files

For each important file identified above:

File size → Decision
  ├─ <150 lines → Just read it
  ├─ 150-400 lines → tl symbols first, tl snippet for specifics
  └─ 400+ lines → tl symbols only, then tl snippet as needed

# Per file, gather context in one call:
tl parallel "symbols=tl symbols <file>" "deps=tl deps <file>" "exports=tl exports <file>"

# Or for entire directories:
tl symbols src/           # All files in a directory (compact one-liner per file)
tl symbols a.ts b.ts      # Multiple specific files (compact)

4. Trace the dependency graph

Pick the most central file (usually has the most importers):

tl parallel "impact=tl impact <file>" "flow=tl flow <function> <file>"

This reveals the architecture: which modules are core infrastructure vs. leaf nodes.

5. Check conventions

tl style              # Coding conventions (naming, formatting, patterns)

Run once at the start of a session to match the project's style.

6. Report

Summarize your understanding:

## Project overview
What it does, in one sentence.

## Architecture
Key directories and their roles. How data/control flows.

## Key files
The 5-10 most important files with one-line descriptions.

## Patterns
Conventions, frameworks, notable architectural decisions.

## Entry points
Where execution starts, how to run/test.

Tips

  • Use tl parallel to gather context on multiple files simultaneously
  • tl context <dir> shows token cost of a directory — skip reading dirs over 50k tokens directly
  • For React/frontend projects, also run tl component on main UI files
  • For API projects, tl api and tl routes reveal endpoint structure