Project Analyzer Skill

This skill enables comprehensive analysis of software projects to understand their structure, patterns, and conventions before making changes.

When to Use This Skill

• Starting work on a new task in an existing project
• Creating a task breakdown for a feature
• Understanding project conventions before coding
• Reviewing code for consistency
• Setting up a new project with best practices

Analysis Framework

1. Project Structure Analysis

Directory Layout

• Identify the project type (monorepo, single app, library, etc.)
• Map the directory structure
• Understand the organization pattern (by feature, by layer, etc.)

Key Directories to Look For

src/              # Source code
lib/              # Library code
app/              # Application code
tests/            # Test files
docs/             # Documentation
config/           # Configuration
scripts/          # Build/utility scripts
public/           # Static assets
dist/             # Build output

2. Technology Stack Detection

Package Managers & Dependencies

Frameworks

• Check dependencies for framework indicators
• Look for framework-specific config files
• Identify framework version

Build Tools

• Webpack, Vite, esbuild (JavaScript)
• Make, CMake (C/C++)
• Maven, Gradle (Java)
• Cargo (Rust)

3. Code Patterns & Conventions

Coding Style

• Check for .editorconfig
• Look for linter configs (.eslintrc, .prettierrc, phpcs.xml)
• Analyze existing code for patterns:
  • Naming conventions (camelCase, snake_case, PascalCase)
  • Indentation style
  • Quote style
  • Semicolon usage

Architecture Patterns

• MVC (Model-View-Controller)
• Clean Architecture / Hexagonal
• Repository Pattern
• Service Layer
• Domain-Driven Design

Design Patterns in Use

• Factory
• Singleton
• Observer
• Strategy
• Decorator
• Dependency Injection

4. Testing Strategy

Test Framework Detection

Test Organization

• Unit tests location
• Integration tests location
• Test naming conventions
• Mocking patterns

5. Documentation Standards

README Structure

• Project description
• Installation instructions
• Usage examples
• Contributing guidelines

Code Documentation

• JSDoc, PHPDoc, docstrings
• Inline comments style
• API documentation

Analysis Output Template

When analyzing a project, report findings in this format:

## Project Analysis Report

### Overview
- **Type**: [Web App / API / Library / CLI / etc.]
- **Primary Language**: [Language + version]
- **Framework**: [Framework + version]

### Structure
[Description of directory organization]

### Dependencies
- **Runtime**: [key dependencies]
- **Development**: [key dev dependencies]

### Patterns & Conventions

#### Coding Style
- Naming: [convention]
- Formatting: [tool/standard]
- Linting: [tool/rules]

#### Architecture
- Pattern: [architecture pattern]
- Key abstractions: [list]

#### Testing
- Framework: [test framework]
- Coverage: [if measurable]
- Organization: [how tests are organized]

### Recommendations
[Recommendations for maintaining consistency]

Empty Project Guidance

When project is new/empty, recommend:

JavaScript/TypeScript

• TypeScript for type safety
• ESLint + Prettier for formatting
• Jest or Vitest for testing
• Clear src/ structure

Python

• Type hints throughout
• Black + isort for formatting
• pytest for testing
• src layout or flat layout

PHP

• PSR-4 autoloading
• PHP-CS-Fixer or PHP_CodeSniffer
• PHPUnit for testing
• Proper namespace organization

General Best Practices

• README with setup instructions
• .editorconfig for consistency
• .gitignore appropriate for stack
• CI/CD configuration
• Environment variable handling

Integration with Development

After analysis, use findings to:

1. Match existing code style in new code
2. Follow established patterns
3. Use same testing approaches
4. Maintain documentation standards
5. Respect architectural boundaries

See references/patterns.md for detailed pattern examples.