Explain this codebase to me like I have to maintain it

What lives where, how data flows, and the three files that matter most.

Taking over a project, or understanding what the AI built for you last month.codebaseonboardingunderstanding
ChatGPT Claude
Explain this codebase so I can maintain it confidently.

File tree: <paste the output of your tree or ls -R, trimmed>
Key files (paste the main entry points, routing, data layer): <paste>
What the app does, as far as I know: <one paragraph>
What I want to do next: <the change I'm about to make>

Produce:
1. The shape: what kind of app this is, the framework, how it's structured, in 5 sentences.
2. A map: each top-level folder and what belongs there, one line each.
3. How data flows: from user action to storage and back, as a numbered path with file names.
4. The three files that matter most, and why.
5. Conventions I should follow: naming, where new things go, how errors and state are handled (based on what you see, not general advice).
6. Smells: anything duplicated, unused, or risky that I should know about. Quote file names.
7. For the change I'm about to make: which files I'll touch, what could break, and where to add a test.

Base everything on what I pasted. Where you can't tell, say "can't tell from these files" rather than assuming.

Replace every <placeholder> with your own details before you send it.

How to use it

  1. 1Paste the file tree and the main entry files. It doesn't need everything to map the shape.
  2. 2Ask for the 'if I change X, what breaks' section for the change you're about to make.
  3. 3Keep the output as a README in the repo. Your future self will thank you.

Reviewed 2026-09-20

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