# Codebase Onboarding

> Auto-generate onboarding documentation from codebase analysis, tailored to the reader's experience level. TRIGGER when: user asks to onboard someone to a codebase, document this codebase, generate project documentation for new team members, write a codebase walkthrough or tour, create a getting-started guide, or explain a codebase to a specific audience. DO NOT TRIGGER when: user wants API reference docs (use language-specific tooling), or wants to understand a single file (just read it).

- Skill: `droodotfoo/codebase-onboarding` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add droodotfoo/codebase-onboarding`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/droodotfoo/codebase-onboarding/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: DROOdotFOO (https://skillmd.com/u/droodotfoo)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/droodotfoo/codebase-onboarding

---


# codebase-onboarding

Auto-generate onboarding documentation from codebase analysis. Audience-aware
output for junior developers, senior engineers, and contractors.

## What You Get

- Architecture overview derived from actual code structure
- Key entry points and control flow
- Testing strategy and deployment process
- Domain glossary extracted from code and comments
- Audience-tailored depth and focus

## Workflow

1. **Analyze** -- Scan the codebase to discover stack, structure, and patterns
2. **Capture signals** -- Identify entry points, config files, CI/CD, test
   patterns, dependency graph, domain terms
3. **Fill template** -- Populate the output format sections
4. **Tailor** -- Adjust depth and emphasis for the target audience

## Analysis signals

| Signal             | Where to look                                      |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Language/framework  | package.json, mix.exs, go.mod, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml |
| Entry points       | main files, router definitions, CLI entry points   |
| Config             | .env.example, config/, settings files              |
| CI/CD              | .github/workflows/, Makefile, Dockerfile           |
| Tests              | test/, spec/, __tests__/, *_test.go                |
| Database           | migrations/, schema files, ORM models              |
| API surface        | OpenAPI specs, GraphQL schema, route definitions   |
| Domain terms       | README, doc comments, module names, type names     |
| Dependencies       | Lock files, vendor/, package manifests             |
| Dev setup          | Makefile, docker-compose.yml, devcontainer.json    |

## Rules

1. Derive everything from the actual codebase -- do not fabricate
2. Flag gaps explicitly ("No CI/CD configuration found")
3. Keep the glossary to terms a newcomer would not know
4. Link to actual files using relative paths
5. If the audience is not specified, ask before generating

## Reference

| File | Topic |
|------|-------|
| [audience-profiles.md](audience-profiles.md) | Junior/Senior/Contractor focus areas |
| [output-template.md](output-template.md) | Markdown template for the onboarding doc |