Acquire-Codebase-Knowledge

# Acquire Codebase Knowledge

Produces seven populated documents in `docs/codebase/` covering everything needed to work effectively on the project. Only document what is verifiable from files or terminal output — never infer or assume.

Output Contract (Required)

Before finishing, all of the following must be true:

1. Exactly these files exist in `docs/codebase/`: `STACK.md`, `STRUCTURE.md`, `ARCHITECTURE.md`, `CONVENTIONS.md`, `INTEGRATIONS.md`, `TESTING.md`, `CONCERNS.md`.

2. Every claim is traceable to source files, config, or terminal output.

3. Unknowns are marked as `[TODO]`; intent-dependent decisions are marked `[ASK USER]`.

4. Every document includes a short "evidence" list with concrete file paths.

5. Final response includes numbered `[ASK USER]` questions and intent-vs-reality divergences.

Workflow

Copy and track this checklist:

- [ ] Phase 1: Run scan, read intent documents
- [ ] Phase 2: Investigate each documentation area
- [ ] Phase 3: Populate all seven docs in docs/codebase/
- [ ] Phase 4: Validate docs, present findings, resolve all [ASK USER] items

Focus Area Mode

If the user supplies a focus area (for example: "architecture only" or "testing and concerns"):

1. Always run Phase 1 in full.

2. Fully complete focus-area documents first.

3. For non-focus documents not yet analyzed, keep required sections present and mark unknowns as `[TODO]`.

4. Still run the Phase 4 validation loop on all seven documents before final output.

Phase 1: Scan and Read Intent

1. Run the scan script from the target project root:

```bash

python3 "$SKILL_ROOT/scripts/scan.py" --output docs/codebase/.codebase-scan.txt

```

Where `$SKILL_ROOT` is the absolute path to the skill folder. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

**Quick start:** If you have the path inline:

```bash

python3 /absolute/path/to/skills/acquire-codebase-knowledge/scripts/scan.py --output docs/codebase/.codebase-scan.txt

```

2. Search for `PRD`, `TRD`, `README`, `ROADMAP`, `SPEC`, `DESIGN` files and read them.

3. Summarise the stated project intent before reading any source code.

Phase 2: Investigate

Use the scan output to answer questions for each of the seven templates. Load [`references/inquiry-checkpoints.md`](references/inquiry-checkpoints.md) for the full per-template question list.

If the stack is ambiguous (multiple manifest files, unfamiliar file types, no `package.json`), load [`references/stack-detection.md`](references/stack-detection.md).

Phase 3: Populate Templates

Copy each template from `assets/templates/` into `docs/codebase/`. Fill in this order:

1. [STACK.md](assets/templates/STACK.md) — language, runtime, frameworks, all dependencies

2. [STRUCTURE.md](assets/templates/STRUCTURE.md) — directory layout, entry points, key files

3. [ARCHITECTURE.md](assets/templates/ARCHITECTURE.md) — layers, patterns, data flow

4. [CONVENTIONS.md](assets/templates/CONVENTIONS.md) — naming, formatting, error handling, imports

5. [INTEGRATIONS.md](assets/templates/INTEGRATIONS.md) — external APIs, databases, auth, monitoring

6. [TESTING.md](assets/templates/TESTING.md) — frameworks, file organization, mocking strategy

7. [CONCERNS.md](assets/templates/CONCERNS.md) — tech debt, bugs, security risks, perf bottlenecks

Use `[TODO]` for anything that cannot be determined from code. Use `[ASK USER]` where the right answer requires team intent.

Phase 4: Validate, Repair, Verify

Run this mandatory validation loop before finalizing:

1. Validate each doc against `references/inquiry-checkpoints.md`.

2. For each non-trivial claim, confirm at least one evidence reference exists.

3. If any required section is missing or unsupported:

- Fix the document.

- Re-run validation.

4. Repeat until all seven docs pass.

Then present a summary of all seven documents, list every `[ASK USER]` item as a numbered question, and highlight any Intent vs. Reality divergences from Phase 1.

Validation pass criteria:

- No un