Understand a new repo

Get oriented in an unfamiliar codebase fast.

Goal

Build a mental model of a new codebase without reading everything.

Outcome: You understand the structure, key entry points, and main patterns before writing a line.

New repo

Basic

Steps

Start a session at the top level so Claude has access to all files.

claude

Get the big picture before diving in.

claude "give me a high-level overview of this repo — what does it do, what are the main folders, and what are the key entry points?"

Follow up on areas that matter to your task.

claude "where is authentication handled and how does it work?"

Understand what the project depends on and how it is configured.

!cat package.json
!ls -la

Understanding conventions prevents you from breaking them.

claude "what patterns and conventions does this codebase follow?"