How do I install the Whats Going On skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add christopheralphonse/whats-going-on in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Whats Going On safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Whats Going On?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Whats Going On free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Whats Going On?

ChristopherAlphonse (@christopheralphonse) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Whats Going On by christopheralphonse

Name: Whats Going On
Author: ChristopherAlphonse

Whats Going On

One-pass codebase intelligence sweep. Use when onboarding to a repo or asking "what's going on here?" Produces a concise map of core use cases, lifecycle, architecture, and where to start reading.

File contents

What's Going On

Create a concise onboarding map in one pass. Default to reading files yourself; use sub-agents only if the repo is large enough that parallel exploration clearly saves time.

Guardrails

Do not modify source code.
Prefer evidence over guesses. Cite files for important claims or label assumptions.
Focus on core use cases, lifecycle, architecture, and navigation. Skip roadmap, refactor advice, and peripheral features.
Read the smallest set of files that explains the system: README, package/build config, routes/entrypoints, tests, core modules, .planning/* if present.

One-Pass Workflow

Orient: Identify repo type, run/build/test commands, main entrypoints, and existing docs.
Trace core flows: Find 3-5 primary user or system flows from entrypoint to response, job completion, persistence, or external call.
Map architecture: Identify 5-10 major components only. Exclude thin wrappers, utilities, and config-only files.
Synthesize directly: Write one artifact to .planning/system/whats-going-on.md.

Create .planning/system/ if needed.

Output Shape

# What's Going On - <repo name>

## Core Use Cases
- <use case>: <what it does>
  Evidence: <key files>

## Lifecycle
- <flow>: <entry> -> <validation/business logic> -> <persistence/external call> -> <result>

## Architecture
| Component | Responsibility | Key Files |
| --- | --- | --- |

## New Engineer Navigation
- Start here: <file/doc>
- Core logic: <files>
- Data enters/exits: <files/routes/jobs>
- Integrations: <services/protocols>
- Run first: <command>

## Assumptions And Unknowns
- <only if needed>

Optional Sidecar Files

Only write these when the repo is complex enough that separate docs will stay useful:

.planning/system/use_cases.md
.planning/system/lifecycle.md
.planning/system/architecture.md

Install: npx skills add ChristopherAlphonse/calphonse-skills --skill whats-going-on

---name: whats-going-ondescription: One-pass codebase intelligence sweep. Use when onboarding to a repo or asking "what's going on here?" Produces a concise map of core use cases, lifecycle, architecture, and where to start reading.---# What's Going OnCreate a concise onboarding map in one pass. Default to reading files yourself; use sub-agents only if the repo is large enough that parallel exploration clearly saves time.## Guardrails- Do not modify source code.- Prefer evidence over guesses. Cite files for important claims or label assumptions.- Focus on core use cases, lifecycle, architecture, and navigation. Skip roadmap, refactor advice, and peripheral features.- Read the smallest set of files that explains the system: README, package/build config, routes/entrypoints, tests, core modules, `.planning/*` if present.## One-Pass Workflow1. **Orient:** Identify repo type, run/build/test commands, main entrypoints, and existing docs.2. **Trace core flows:** Find 3-5 primary user or system flows from entrypoint to response, job completion, persistence, or external call.3. **Map architecture:** Identify 5-10 major components only. Exclude thin wrappers, utilities, and config-only files.4. **Synthesize directly:** Write one artifact to `.planning/system/whats-going-on.md`.Create `.planning/system/` if needed.## Output Shape```markdown# What's Going On - <repo name>## Core Use Cases- <use case>: <what it does> Evidence: <key files>## Lifecycle- <flow>: <entry> -> <validation/business logic> -> <persistence/external call> -> <result>## Architecture| Component | Responsibility | Key Files || --- | --- | --- |## New Engineer Navigation- Start here: <file/doc>- Core logic: <files>- Data enters/exits: <files/routes/jobs>- Integrations: <services/protocols>- Run first: <command>## Assumptions And Unknowns- <only if needed>```## Optional Sidecar FilesOnly write these when the repo is complex enough that separate docs will stay useful:- `.planning/system/use_cases.md`- `.planning/system/lifecycle.md`- `.planning/system/architecture.md`---> **Install:** ``npx skills add ChristopherAlphonse/calphonse-skills --skill whats-going-on``

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