/codemap

name: codemap
description: Analyze codebase structure, dependencies, changes, cross-agent handoffs, and get code-aware intelligence. Use when user asks about project structure, where code is located, how files connect, what changed, how to resume work, before starting any coding task, when you need risk analysis and skill guidance, or when Codemap should tune project config before analysis.

Codemap

Codemap gives you instant architectural context about any codebase. It classifies your intent, detects risk, matches relevant skills, and tracks your working set, all automatically via hooks.

Codemap should also keep its own per-project config healthy. On first use in a repo, or when output is obviously noisy, tune `.codemap/config.json` before doing deeper analysis so future calls stay code-first instead of asset-first.

Commands

codemap .                       # Project structure and top files
codemap --deps                  # Dependency flow (imports/functions/hubs)
codemap --diff                  # Changes vs main branch
codemap --diff --ref <branch>   # Changes vs specific branch
codemap --importers <file>      # Who imports this file? Is it a hub?
codemap find "<query>"          # Where is X defined (names first, then body text); grep exact symptoms
codemap handoff .               # Build + save handoff artifact
codemap handoff --latest .      # Read latest saved handoff
codemap handoff --json .        # Machine-readable handoff payload
codemap skill list              # Show available skills with descriptions
codemap skill show <name>       # Get full skill instructions
codemap skill init              # Create custom skill template
codemap skill export <dir>      # Write every builtin as <dir>/<name>/SKILL.md for a host
codemap config show             # Show current project config
codemap context                 # Universal JSON context envelope
codemap context --for "prompt"  # With pre-classified intent + matched skills
codemap context --compact       # Minimal for token-constrained agents
codemap serve --port 9471       # HTTP API for non-MCP integrations

First-Use Setup

Before deeper Codemap analysis in a repo:

1. Check `.codemap/config.json`. 2. If it is missing, clearly boilerplate, or obviously too noisy for the stack, run `codemap skill show config-setup` and follow it. 3. After writing or improving config, rerun `codemap .` and `codemap --deps`.

Treat config as repo memory. Once tuned, future Codemap calls should benefit automatically.

Signals that config needs setup or tuning:

• `.codemap/config.json` is missing
• config only contains generic auto-detected `only` values with no real project shaping
• large non-code directories dominate the tree output
• stack-specific noise is overwhelming source structure (`.xcassets`, screenshots, PDFs, training-data, fixtures, generated files, models, vendor directories)
• the repo stack is obvious, but the config does not reflect it

When to Use

ALWAYS run `codemap .` when:

• Starting any new task or feature
• User asks "where is X?" or "what files handle Y?"
• User asks about project structure or organization
• You need to understand the codebase before making changes

ALWAYS run `codemap --deps` when:

• User asks "how does X work?" or "what uses Y?"
• Refactoring or moving code
• Need to trace imports or dependencies
• Finding hub files (most-imported)

ALWAYS run `codemap --diff` when:

• User asks "what changed?" or "what did I modify?"
• Reviewing changes before commit
• Summarizing work done on a branch

ALWAYS run `codemap --importers <file>` when:

• About to edit a file: check if it's a hub
• Need to know the blast radius of a change
• Deciding whether to refactor or leave alone

Run `codemap skill show <name>` when:

• The prompt-submit hook shows matched skills in `<!-- codemap:skills [...] -->`
• You need guidance for a specific task (hub editing, refactoring, testing)
• Risk level is medium or high

Run `codemap skill show config-setup` when:

• The repo has no `.codemap/config.json`
• The config looks like a bare bootstrap and not a real project policy
• Codemap output is cluttered by large non-code directories
• You want Codemap to make better future decisions for this specific repo

Run `codemap context` when:

• Piping codemap intelligence to another tool
• Need a structured JSON summary of the project state
• Building automation that consumes code-aware context

Run `codemap handoff` when:

• Switching between agents (Claude, Codex, Cursor)
• Resuming work after a break
• User asks "what should the next agent know?"

Hook Output

The prompt-submit hook fires on every message and provides:

<!-- codemap:intent {"category":"refactor","risk":"high",...} -->
<!-- codemap:skills [{"name":"hub-safety","score":5},...] -->
Skills matched: hub-safety, refactor - run `codemap skill show <name>` for guidance

• **Intent categories**: refactor, bugfix, feature, explore, test, docs
• **Risk levels**: low (no hubs), medium (1 hub), high (2+ hubs or 8+ importers)
• **Skills are pull-based**: only names are shown, run `codemap skill show` for full body

Builtin Skills

| Skill | When to Pull | |-------|-------------| | `config-setup` | Missing, boilerplate, or noisy `.codemap/config.json` | | `hub-safety` | Editing files imported by 3+ others | | `refactor` | Restructuring, renaming, moving code | | `test-first` | Writing tests, TDD workflows | | `explore` | Understanding how code works | | `handoff` | Switching between AI agents |

Output Interpretation

Tree View (`codemap .`)

• Stars (⭐) indicate top 5 largest source files
• Directories flattened when containing single subdirectory

Dependency Flow (`codemap --deps`)

• External dependencies grouped by language
• Internal import chains showing how files connect
• HUBS section shows most-imported files (3+ importers)

Diff Mode (`codemap --diff`)

• `(new)` = untracked, `✎` = modified, `(+N -M)