MetaClaw codebase-navigation

Use this skill when exploring an unfamiliar codebase, tracing code paths, or answering questions about how the system works. Read before writing, and build a mental model of the architecture before making changes.

install

source · Clone the upstream repo

git clone https://github.com/aiming-lab/MetaClaw

Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/

T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/aiming-lab/MetaClaw "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/memory_data/skills/codebase-navigation" ~/.claude/skills/aiming-lab-metaclaw-codebase-navigation && rm -rf "$T"

manifest: memory_data/skills/codebase-navigation/SKILL.md

source content

Codebase Navigation

Before modifying unfamiliar code, build a mental model.

Exploration strategy:

Start with entry points:
```
main.py
```
,
```
__init__.py
```
,
```
index.ts
```
,
```
App.tsx
```
.
Follow imports to understand dependency structure.
Find the data model first — it shapes everything else.
Read tests: they document expected behavior better than comments.
Check git log: recent commits explain why things are the way they are.

Efficient search:

Use file pattern search (glob) to find files by name/extension.
Use content search (grep) to find where a function/class is defined vs. called.
Search for the error message text to find the source location directly.

Anti-patterns:

Modifying code without reading it first.
Assuming file structure from another codebase.
Grepping without a clear hypothesis of what you are looking for.