Prime Codebase

Prime: Load Project Context

Objective

Build comprehensive understanding of the codebase by analyzing structure, documentation, and key files. If external task references are provided, load them first so the codebase analysis is anchored to the actual work.

Process

Step 0: Load External Context

Run this step BEFORE the codebase analysis. It accepts optional arguments: [jira-issue-keys] [confluence-page-ids].

• Jira keys may be a single key (ACC-2) or comma-separated (ACC-2,ACC-3).
• Confluence page ids are numeric page ids.

If Jira issue keys are provided:

1. Call mcp__atlassian__getAccessibleAtlassianResources to obtain the cloudId.
2. For each Jira key, call mcp__atlassian__getJiraIssue with that cloudId, the issue key, and responseContentFormat: "markdown".
3. Treat the returned issue summary, description, and acceptance criteria as the task context for everything that follows.

If Confluence page ids are provided:

1. Call mcp__atlassian__getConfluencePage for each page id with contentFormat: "markdown" (use the cloudId from above, fetching it via mcp__atlassian__getAccessibleAtlassianResources if it was not already retrieved).
2. Treat the returned page content as supporting context (specs, design docs, requirements).

If no arguments are provided: Skip this step entirely and proceed to Step 1.

Briefly summarize any external context loaded before continuing — this frames the rest of the priming.

1. Analyze Project Structure

List all tracked files: !git ls-files

Show directory structure: On Linux, run: tree -L 3 -I 'node_modules|__pycache__|.git|dist|build'

2. Read Core Documentation

• Read CLAUDE.md or similar global rules file
• Read README files at project root and major directories
• Read any architecture documentation

3. Identify Key Files

Based on the structure, identify and read:

• Main entry points (main.py, index.ts, app.py, etc.)
• Core configuration files (pyproject.toml, package.json, tsconfig.json)
• Key model/schema definitions
• Important service or controller files

4. Understand Current State

Check recent activity: !git log -10 --oneline

Check current branch and status: !git status

Output Report

Provide a concise summary covering:

External Task Context (if loaded)

• Jira issue(s): key, title, one-line goal, acceptance criteria
• Confluence page(s): title and what they specify

Project Overview

• Purpose and type of application
• Primary technologies and frameworks
• Current version/state

Architecture

• Overall structure and organization
• Key architectural patterns identified
• Important directories and their purposes

Tech Stack

• Languages and versions
• Frameworks and major libraries
• Build tools and package managers
• Testing frameworks

Core Principles

• Code style and conventions observed
• Documentation standards
• Testing approach

Current State

• Active branch
• Recent changes or development focus
• Any immediate observations or concerns

Make this summary easy to scan - use bullet points and clear headers.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: coleam00
• Source: coleam00/skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.