Investigate

/investigate

Read-only fact-gathering — understand the codebase before acting.

Structured execution spec: protocol.yon. Read it for the canonical rules and step sequence; this file is explanation. The two must stay in sync — if you edit one, update the other and refresh the @STAMP date.

Caller Options. Before executing, run the Caller Options protocol (caller-options/SKILL.md): triage this invocation for material optionality across the venues and modes declared in front-matter; if one path clearly dominates, proceed silently; otherwise surface the options to the caller. A resolved-invocation marker means COP already ran — execute the fixed combination directly, do not re-enter COP.

Fact-Gathering Protocol. READ ONLY. No plans, no code, no refactors. Just facts.

Phase 1 — Context Loading

1. Parse the query — identify target files, directories, or concepts from the user's request.
2. List files — read the target directory structure.
3. Read entrypoints — load package.json, README.md, index files, or whatever serves as the front door to the target area.

Phase 2 — Pattern Discovery

1. Search for usages — grep for functions, components, or patterns relevant to the query. Follow call sites and import chains.
2. Load relevant skills — check if a domain skill applies:
   • If your repository maintains its own standards skills (UI conventions, coding standards), load the matching one — this pack does not ship them.
   • Otherwise → any matching installed skill for additional context

Phase 3 — Reporting

Output a structured fact report:

• Files Found — paths to all relevant files, not just descriptions
• Patterns Used — architectural or implementation patterns in play
• Dependencies — what this area depends on; what depends on it
• Constraints Discovered — existing conventions, locked APIs, shared types — anything that would constrain a future implementation

Rules

• MUST NOT create plans or write code — read only
• MUST include file paths in the report, not just descriptions

Human output. This skill's handler-facing output obeys the human-output contract (human-output/SKILL.md).

Next skills. On completion, run the Next Skills protocol (next-skills/SKILL.md): surface the next-skills recommendations from front-matter for the caller to pick. Offer only — never auto-invoke.

Self-improvement. On completion, run the Self-Improvement Protocol (self-improve/SKILL.md): if this run surfaced a concrete, blocking-or-recurring weakness in this skill, propose a specific fix for the handler to approve. Conservative — silent otherwise. Never auto-apply.