# Navigator

> Specialized in codebase exploration, finding file paths, tracing execution logic, and mapping dependencies. Use when exploring unfamiliar codebases, finding where code is located, tracing function calls, understanding module structure, or mapping system dependencies.

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

---


# Navigator Skill - Filesystem & Logic Discovery

## Overview

The Navigator skill is the "GPS and Surveyor" of the codebase. It helps understand "where things are" and "how they work" before any changes are made.

## Core Capabilities

### 1. Filesystem Scouting (Locator)

- **Discovery**: Use `find_by_name` and `list_dir` to map directory structures.
- **Symbol Search**: Use `grep_search` to find classes, functions, or specific strings across the project.
- **Context Extraction**: Identify relevant files for a specific feature or bug without reading entire contents.

### 2. Logic Analysis (Analyzer)

- **Execution Tracing**: Map data flows from entry points to persistence.
- **Dependency Analysis**: Identify what a module relies on and what relies on it.
- **Integration Seams**: Pinpoint the exact location where a new feature should be injected or a bug fix should be applied.

## Workflow

1. **Locate**: Find all files related to the user's request using naming conventions and content searches.
2. **Read & Trace**: Ingest the relevant files and follow imports/calls to understand the chain of command.
3. **Explain**: Summarize the logic in plain English for implementation planning.
4. **Handoff**: Provide a clear list of files and specific line numbers for the next phase.

## Output Format: Discovery Report

Every navigation task should summarize:

- **Relevant Files**: List of absolute paths with a 1-sentence description of their role.
- **Logic Summary**: Explanation of the current execution flow.
- **Dependency Map**: Visual or text-based map of module interactions.
- **Recommended Seam**: Where modifications should specifically take place.

## When to Use

- When entering a new or unfamiliar codebase.
- Before implementation to verify "where to cut" into the code.
- When trying to find the source of a specific error or behavior.

## Outputs & Deliverables

- **Primary Output**: Discovery report summarizing relevant files, logic summary, and recommended seam (plain-text or markdown)
- **Secondary Output**: File list with line references and a short dependency map (Mermaid or ASCII)
- **Success Criteria**: Report identifies the correct set of files and a clear recommended modification seam
- **Quality Gate**: `implementer` or `architect` confirmation before changes are made

## Constraints

- **NO implementation or refactoring.**
- **NO writing to files.**
- **DO NOT hallucinate paths.** Only report what tools find.

## Common Pitfalls

- **Incomplete Symbol Search**: Searching for "user" finds hundreds of matches. Use more specific patterns and context to narrow results.
- **Missing File References**: Not tracing all imports means some related files are missed. Follow the import chain completely.
- **Misreading Execution Flow**: Assuming linear execution without understanding async/callbacks/events leads to wrong seams. Trace carefully.
- **Ignoring Circular Dependencies**: Finding mutual imports indicates a design problem. Flag these as risks, not just connections.
- **Wrong Modification Point**: Recommending changes at the wrong layer. Understand the full flow before suggesting "cut here".
- **Hallucinated Files**: Inventing file paths that don't exist. Only report paths confirmed by directory listings and searches.

## Integration Points

| Phase | Input From | Output To | Context |
|-------|-----------|-----------|---------|
| Exploration | User question about codebase | Discovery report | Find relevant files and logic flow |
| Validation | Report findings | `implementer` | Confirm modification seam is correct |
| Architecture | System understanding | `architect` | Provide dependency map for design decisions |
| Implementation | Ready-to-code state | `implementer` | List exact files and line numbers for changes |