codebase-retrieval

When the user asks about their codebase, use the codebase-retrieval tool to find relevant code instead of guessing or asking the user to provide file paths.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when the user:

• Asks where something is implemented ("Where is user authentication handled?")
• Needs to find code locations ("Find the database connection code")
• Wants to understand how something works ("How does the payment processing work?")
• Needs to make changes and doesn't know where ("I need to add a new API endpoint")
• Asks about code structure ("What tests exist for the login feature?")
• Mentions specific concepts that need to be located in the codebase

How to Use Codebase Retrieval

Step 1: Formulate Effective Queries

Create search queries based on the user's request:

• Direct queries: Use function names, class names, or variable names if mentioned
• Conceptual queries: Describe what the code does ("user authentication", "database connection")
• Related patterns: Search for similar functionality or related concepts

Step 2: Search the Codebase

Call codebase-retrieval with:

• information_request: A natural language description of the code you're looking for

Good query examples:

• "Where is the function that handles user authentication?"
• "What tests are there for the login functionality?"
• "How is the database connected to the application?"
• "Where are API endpoints defined for user management?"

Step 3: Analyze and Iterate

From the retrieval results:

• Review the returned code snippets for relevance
• If results aren't helpful, try alternative queries with different terminology
• Search for related concepts if the direct search doesn't yield results

Step 4: Present Findings

Provide clear, actionable information:

• List relevant files with their paths
• Explain what each file/function does
• Point to specific functions, classes, and line ranges when possible
• Suggest which code should be modified for the requested change

Guidelines

• Be thorough: Search using multiple related queries if the first doesn't yield complete results
• Be specific: Pass detailed queries for better retrieval results
• Stay current: The retrieval tool reflects the current state of the codebase on disk
• Avoid guessing: Always search before making assumptions about code locations
• Iterate: If initial results aren't helpful, reformulate your query and try again