How do I install the Codebase Architecture skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add karlorz/codebase-architecture 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.

What does the Codebase Architecture skill do?

Route architecture work to analyze, design, improve, or to-spec. Use when the user asks for codebase-architecture. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Codebase Architecture 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 Codebase Architecture?

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 Codebase Architecture free to use?

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

Who published Codebase Architecture?

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

Codebase Architecture by karlorz — Agent Skill

Name: Codebase Architecture
Author: karlorz

File contents

Codebase Architecture (router)

Thin router for the codebase-architecture plugin. Do not run the full chain alone — pick one specialized skill and invoke it.

Choose one

User intent	Invoke skill
Document / reverse-engineer / C4 / topology / reimplementation extract	`codebase-architecture-analyze`
Deep-module vocabulary, seams, interface design language	`codebase-design`
Shallow modules, deepening opportunities, architecture HTML review	`improve-codebase-architecture`
Conversation → PRD / spec without interview	`architecture-to-spec`
Large multi-file rewrite batches	External `codebase-migrate` (not in this plugin)

If multiple steps are needed, run them in order:

Load codebase-design vocabulary first (or let each skill load it before durable writes)
codebase-architecture-analyze (extracts)
Optional improve-codebase-architecture
architecture-to-spec
External migrate / normal implementation

(Use the choose-one table when the user wants only vocabulary/interface design — invoke codebase-design alone.)

Shared contracts

Output routing: output-routing.md
Playbook graph: playbook-chain.md
C4 evidence rules: c4-evidence.md

Complements (not bundled)

deep-research / PavedPath — external evidence
grill-me / grilling — after improve picks a candidate
Official feature-dev / Archcore when preferred

After routing

Load the chosen skill's SKILL.md and follow it completely. Announce which skill was selected and why (one sentence).

Frequently asked questions

Codebase Architecture