# Explore Codebase Index > Orients exploration of the indxr repository using `.cursor/INDEX.md` as a single-file map of directory layout, declarations, imports, and cross-file structure. Use when navigating this codebase, locating symbols or modules, planning where to read code, or answering structural questions before opening many source files. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/explore-codebase-index` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/explore-codebase-index` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/explore-codebase-index/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/explore-codebase-index --- # Explore codebase via INDEX.md ## When to use Apply this skill when exploring **this repository** and the user (or task) needs a structural picture: files, functions, types, classes, and imports across the project. ## Instructions 1. **Start with the index** — Read `.cursor/INDEX.md` early. It aggregates what would otherwise require many file opens: tree layout, per-file summaries, declarations, and import relationships (generated from the project indexer). 2. **Use it to route next steps** — Pick files and symbols from the index, then open only those regions (e.g. via `read_source`, symbol search, or the Read tool for edits). Avoid reading large unrelated areas when the index already answers “what lives where.” 3. **If the index looks stale** — Timestamps and counts appear at the top of `INDEX.md`. After substantial code changes, the maintainer may regenerate it (see project guidance such as `regenerate_index` / indexer docs in-repo). If sections clearly mismatch the tree on disk, say so briefly and fall back to directory listing plus targeted reads. ## Relationship to other tooling Project rules may require indxr MCP tools for surgical queries. **INDEX.md** is the offline, whole-repo structural digest; MCP tools are ideal for precise symbol lookup and line-scoped reads. Use both: index for orientation and breadth, MCP (or direct reads) for depth on chosen symbols. ## Examples **User:** “Where is Rust query logic for TypeScript?” 1. Open `.cursor/INDEX.md`, find the directory tree and declaration sections for `src/parser/queries/`. 2. Note `typescript.rs` (and related modules), then read only those files or the relevant symbols. **User:** “What does the MCP server expose?” 1. Scan `INDEX.md` for `mcp`, `src/mcp.rs`, and linked declarations. 2. Drill into the named functions/types from there. --- > Source: [bahdotsh/indxr](https://github.com/bahdotsh/indxr) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).