Explore Workflow

Understand a codebase, module, or system.

Usage

/explore                        # Full codebase overview
/explore auth                   # Focus on auth module
/explore --depth deep           # Thorough analysis
/explore src/api --depth architecture  # Architecture analysis

Depth Modes

Depth	Time	What It Does
quick	~1 min	File tree + structure overview
deep	~5 min	Full analysis with patterns
architecture	~3 min	Layer detection + dependencies

Default: quick

Workflow

Quick Mode

Spawn scout for fast overview:

Use Task tool:
  subagent_type: "scout"
  prompt: "Quick exploration of $AREA:

  1. File structure (tree)
  2. Key components (main files)
  3. Entry points
  4. Brief summary of what this does"

Deep Mode

Spawn scout for thorough analysis:

Use Task tool:
  subagent_type: "scout"
  prompt: "Deep exploration of $AREA:

  1. Complete structure analysis
  2. All components and their purposes
  3. Dependencies (internal and external)
  4. Data flow patterns
  5. Key abstractions
  6. Testing approach
  7. Documentation status
  8. Potential issues or tech debt"

Architecture Mode

Spawn scout with architecture focus:

Use Task tool:
  subagent_type: "scout"
  prompt: "Architecture analysis of $AREA:

  1. Identify architectural layers
  2. Map dependencies between layers
  3. Find circular dependencies
  4. Identify entry/leaf components
  5. Assess separation of concerns
  6. Note architectural patterns used"

Output Options

Option	Effect
--output handoff	Create handoff for implementation
--output doc	Create documentation file
--output summary	Brief summary only

Examples

New to a codebase:

/explore --depth deep

Understanding a module:

/explore src/auth

Before refactoring:

/explore src/payment --depth architecture

Preparing to implement:

/explore src/api --output handoff