tomevault-io Specter Onboard
Let your codebase introduce itself and guide you through its structure.
When to Use
- You just joined a new project and need to understand it
- You're returning to a codebase after a long break
- You want a tour of the architecture and key patterns
- You need to know where to start making changes
How It Works
This skill invokes the Specter agent to act as the codebase itself, explaining:
- What it is — Purpose, domain, and primary function
- How it's organized — Directory structure and architecture
- Where the action is — Most active and important files
- What needs attention — Complexity hotspots and tech debt
- How to contribute — Conventions and patterns to follow
Conversation Starters
Once the knowledge graph is built, ask the codebase about itself:
@specter Tell me about yourself. What kind of project are you?
@specter I'm new here. What should I know before I start coding?
@specter What are the most important files I should understand first?
@specter Where are the complexity hotspots I should be careful with?
@specter How do the different parts of you connect together?
Prerequisites
Run a scan first if you haven't:
npx specter-mcp scan
Example Session
You: @specter I just joined this project. Help me get oriented.
Specter: Welcome! I'm a TypeScript API backend with 47 source files.
Let me tell you about myself...
I'm organized into three main areas:
- `/src/api/` — My REST endpoints (this is where requests come in)
- `/src/services/` — My business logic (this is where I do real work)
- `/src/db/` — My data layer (this is my memory)
The most important files to understand first:
1. `src/api/routes.ts` — All my endpoints start here
2. `src/services/auth.ts` — How I handle authentication
3. `src/db/models.ts` — My core data structures
Heads up: `auth.ts` has a complexity score of 23 and hasn't been
touched in 4 months. Tread carefully there.
What would you like to explore first?
Tips
- The more specific your questions, the better the answers
- Ask about connections: "How does X relate to Y?"
- Ask about history: "What's changed recently?"
- Ask about risks: "What could break if I change X?"
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