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:
code
@specter Tell me about yourself. What kind of project are you?
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@specter I'm new here. What should I know before I start coding?
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@specter What are the most important files I should understand first?
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@specter Where are the complexity hotspots I should be careful with?
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@specter How do the different parts of you connect together?
Prerequisites
Run a scan first if you haven't:
bash
npx specter-mcp scan
Example Session
code
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?"