Gather context

Quickly understand a codebase by scanning its structure, conventions, dependencies, and patterns. The output is a concise summary delivered in chat — no files created.

Announce at start: "Using gather-context skill to scan the project."

When to Use

• Starting work on an unfamiliar codebase
• Coming back to a project after a break
• Before brainstorming or planning, when context is needed fast
• When the user says "what's going on in this project?" or "catch me up"

Checklist

Create a task for each item and complete them in order. Run scans in parallel where possible.

1. Project identity

• Find the package manifest (package.json, go.mod, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml, .csproj, Directory.Build.props, etc.)
• Identify: name, language, framework, runtime version
• Read README.md or docs/SPEC.md for the project description

2. Structure

• List top-level directories and files
• Drill into each major directory to understand purpose
• Note entry points (main.go, src/index.ts, cmd/, apps/, packages/)
• Identify monorepo layout if present (workspaces, packages, apps)

3. Commands

• Check package.json scripts, Makefile, justfile, Taskfile.yml, .csproj targets, or equivalent
• Identify: dev server, build, test, lint, format, typecheck
• Note the pre-commit gate (which commands must pass)

4. Dependencies

• Scan runtime and dev dependencies
• Identify the key libraries the project relies on
• Note version constraints or pinned versions

5. Conventions and patterns

• Read AGENTS.md or equivalent config if it exists
• Check linter/formatter configs
• Identify coding patterns: state management, auth flow, data layer, error handling
• Note any non-obvious conventions (naming, file organization, import style)

6. Recent activity

• Check recent git log (last 5-10 commits) to understand what's been happening
• Check for uncommitted changes

Output Format

Present a concise summary in chat. Keep it scannable.

## Context: <project name>

**What it is:** <1 sentence>
**Stack:** <language, framework, key deps>
**Structure:** <brief layout description>

**Commands:**
- `cmd` — what it does

**Key patterns:**
- <pattern> — <where it lives>

**Recent activity:**
- <last few commits or active work>

If the user asked about something specific, focus the summary on that area. Skip sections that aren't relevant to what they're about to do.

Key Principles

• Fast, not exhaustive. This is a quick scan, not a deep audit. Target 2-3 minutes.
• Focused on what matters next. If the user is about to build a feature, emphasize the files and patterns they'll touch. If they're just exploring, give the broad picture.
• No files created. The output is a chat summary. If the user wants persistent context, that's what the sync-agents skill is for.
• Skippable. If context is already clear from the conversation, say so and skip the scan.