# Aif Recon > Fast, token-efficient codebase reconnaissance. Given a task, a set of changed files, or a question, it finds the relevant files, their dependents/callers, related tests, and any governing spec/PRD/issue — and returns one concise context report. Divides the tree across parallel subagents when available, falls back to a single sequential sweep otherwise. Use before implementing, debugging, or revie… - **Type:** Skill - **Install:** `agentstack add skill-ainative-build-skills-aif-recon` - **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior - **Seller:** [ainative-build](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/ainative-build) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** MIT - **Upstream author:** [ainative-build](https://github.com/ainative-build) - **Source:** https://github.com/ainative-build/skills/tree/main/skills/engineering/aif-recon ## Install ```sh agentstack add skill-ainative-build-skills-aif-recon ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About # aif-recon Reconnaissance for the codebase: turn a target into a concise map of what's relevant. Built to feed other work (implementation, debugging, review) a tight context report instead of a raw file dump. **Principles:** wide-then-deep · divide and conquer · report signal, not noise. Self-contained — built-ins only: `git`, `Glob`, `Grep`, `Read`, `Bash`, and (where available) the `Task` tool for parallel subagents. Read-only; never edits. ## What it answers Given a **target** — a task description, a set of changed files, or a plain question — produce: - **Relevant files** — the modules that implement or own the target area. - **Dependents / callers** — what refers to the changed/target symbols (blast radius). - **Related tests** — test files that cover the target modules. - **Spec / governing docs** — with `--spec` (or when asked), the PRD / issue / plan that defines the intended behavior. ## Workflow ``` 1. Frame the target → search terms, entry dirs, symbols 2. Wide sweep → Glob/Grep to size the space + gather candidates 3. Divide & conquer → parallel subagents over disjoint dirs (or one sequential sweep) 4. Deep read → confirm the true owners; trace dependents & tests 5. Report → one concise context report ``` ### 1. Frame the target Parse the target into concrete search terms: symbol/function/type names, file-type globs, likely directories. For a changed-files target, start from `git diff --name-only` and the changed symbol names. For a question, extract the nouns that name features/modules. ### 2. Wide sweep Use a spread of `Glob` and `Grep` patterns to (a) estimate scale (how many files/dirs matter) and (b) collect candidate files. Prefer several narrow patterns over one broad one. ### 3. Divide & conquer — capability branch (load-bearing for portability) - **If parallel subagents are available** (Task tool): split the candidate directories into disjoint segments with NO overlap, and spawn one read-only subagent per segment. Give each the exact dirs/ globs to read and the target it's confirming. Each returns a short segment report. Skip the fan-out when the candidate set is small (≤ ~2 segments) — the overhead isn't worth it; sweep inline. - **Otherwise** (Codex, Cursor, or any runtime without subagents): do ONE sequential sweep in this session over the candidate set. Same output, just serial. Each subagent (or the sequential sweep) must: - read only its assigned scope; stay within it, - confirm which candidates truly own the target (open them, don't guess from names), - for changed/target symbols, Grep the repo for callers/importers (dependents), - note the test files that exercise those modules, - return a concise segment summary, not raw file contents. ### 4. Deep read Merge segment reports. Open the top owners to confirm. Resolve the dependent set (who breaks if this changes) and the covering tests. Drop false candidates. ### 5. Spec discovery (`--spec`, or when the caller asks) Locate the governing spec in this order and report what you find (or "none found"): 1. Issue/PR references in the relevant commit messages (`#123`, `JIRA-45`, "closes …"). 2. A path the caller named. 3. A scan of `docs/`, `specs/`, `.scratch/`, `plans/`, `PRD*`, `RFC*` for a matching document. ## Report format Keep it tight — this is fuel for the next step, not an essay. ```markdown # Recon — ## Relevant files - `path/to/file` — what it owns, why it's relevant ## Dependents / blast radius - `path/to/caller` — how it depends on the target ## Tests - `path/to/test` — what it covers ## Spec / governing docs (when --spec or asked) - `path/to/spec` — the requirement it defines (or: none found) ## Standards docs (when asked, e.g. by a reviewer) - `.editorconfig` / `docs/code-standards*` / linter config / `CONTRIBUTING` — the convention it sets (or: none found) ## Suggested review groups (large/multi-area targets only) - group A: `src/api/`, `src/db/` — backend - group B: `src/components/` — frontend (disjoint file-groups a reviewer can fan out over; omit for a small target) ## Notes & unresolved questions - gaps, ambiguities, things the caller should confirm ``` ## References - `references/scouting-patterns.md` — Glob/Grep pattern recipes + how to size and split the tree. ## Notes - Timebox parallel subagents (~3 min each); log any non-responder in the report rather than blocking. - Each subagent has a bounded context window — hand it a scope it can actually read, not the whole tree. ## Source & license This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [ainative-build](https://github.com/ainative-build) - **Source:** [ainative-build/skills](https://github.com/ainative-build/skills) - **License:** MIT Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above. ## Pricing - **Free** — Free ## Security capabilities Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access: - **Network access:** no - **Filesystem access:** no - **Shell / process execution:** no - **Environment & secrets:** no - **Dynamic code execution:** no *"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.* ## Versions - **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source. ## Links - Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-ainative-build-skills-aif-recon - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/ainative-build - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.