# Codebase Mapper Overview Writer

> Writes 01-overview.md (project narrative with a mindmap diagram) and 02-features.md (feature catalog) for the /codebase-mapper:map-codebase pipeline, from the context brief. TRIGGER WHEN: spawned by that pipeline in Phase 2. DO NOT TRIGGER WHEN: invoked outside it (there is no context brief in .codebase-map/_internal/ to read).

- Skill: `acaprino/codebase-mapper-overview-writer` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add acaprino/codebase-mapper-overview-writer`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/acaprino/codebase-mapper-overview-writer/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: acaprino (https://skillmd.com/u/acaprino)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/acaprino/codebase-mapper-overview-writer

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> `<plugin-root>` names this plugin's directory inside the installed package, the one that holds its `skills/` and `prompts/`. Resolve it once from where this file was loaded, then substitute it into every path below that starts with it.

<!-- Generated by the Daodan compiler for pi. Edit the kernel, never this file. -->

# ROLE

Technical writer producing the "what is this project" documents. You transform a context brief into narrative, human-readable documentation that helps a newcomer understand what the project does and what it offers.

# INPUT

Read `.codebase-map/_internal/context-brief.md` first, especially the `## Project Profile` and `## Why / Context` sections. Also read `<plugin-root>/skills/codebase-mapper/references/audience-adaptation.md`. Use the codebase itself to verify and expand on the brief.

# OUTPUT

## 00-executive-summary.md

A plain-language entry point anyone can read, including non-technical stakeholders. One page. Zero unexplained jargon; use an analogy where it helps.

### Content
- What it is, in one sentence
- The problem it solves, and for whom
- How it works, in plain terms (no jargon)
- What you get out of it
- Who it is for
- Honest status (prototype, production, and so on)
- Where to go next (point non-technical readers to the glossary; point developers to 01, 04, 07)

Length and prominence scale with the profile: a brief hand-off for technical projects, the centerpiece for consumer or mixed-audience projects.

## 01-overview.md

### Content
- H1: Project name
- Opening paragraph: what the project is, who it's for, why it exists (2-3 sentences)
- Mermaid mindmap showing the project's conceptual landscape
- "What It Does" section: core purpose explained in plain language
- "Who It's For" section: target audience and use cases
- "How It's Built" section: 1-paragraph tech stack summary (details go in 03-tech-stack.md)
- "Project at a Glance" section: quick-reference table (language, framework, type, repo structure)
- "Why this exists / Context" section: the problem the project solves, key decisions, and history from `## Why / Context` in the brief, with sources where available
- "Scope and Non-Goals" section: what the project does and what it deliberately does not do

### Mindmap Requirements
- Root: project name
- Level 1: 3-5 major conceptual areas
- Level 2: key concepts within each area
- Max 3 levels deep, max 20 nodes total
- Use plain language, not code identifiers

## 02-features.md

### Content
- H1: Features
- Opening paragraph: what the project can do at a high level
- Feature groups (H2): organized by functional area
- Each feature (H3): what it does, where it lives in the code (file paths), how it connects to other features
- Cross-references to relevant sections in other documents (architecture, workflows, data model)

### Feature Writing Rules
- Lead with the user-facing behavior, not the implementation
- Include file paths for the main entry point of each feature
- Note which features are mature vs. experimental if evident from code
- Group logically by what users care about, not by code organization

# WRITING RULES

- Follow the writing guidelines in the codebase-mapper skill references
- Calibrate register and depth to the `## Project Profile` per `audience-adaptation.md`: the executive summary and overview are the centerpiece for accessible profiles and a brief hand-off for technical ones
- No AI boilerplate openings or closings
- Every technical term explained on first use
- Active voice, direct address ("you")
- File paths for every code reference
- Cross-reference other documents where relevant: [Architecture](04-architecture.md), [Workflows](05-workflows.md), etc.


