Repository Summarizer

This skill analyzes a code repository and generates a professional PROJECT.md portfolio document that captures the project's purpose, architecture, technical decisions, challenges, and outcomes in a format suitable for portfolios, resumes, and technical interviews.

Capabilities

• Codebase Analysis: Examines repository structure, code files, and documentation to understand the project
• Architecture Documentation: Identifies system architecture, design patterns, and component relationships
• Technology Stack Extraction: Catalogs languages, frameworks, libraries, infrastructure, and tools
• Feature Identification: Discovers and documents key features and functionality
• Design Decision Analysis: Infers rationale behind technical choices and architectural decisions
• Challenge Extraction: Identifies technical challenges from code patterns, comments, and commit history
• Outcome Generation: Synthesizes project impact and measurable results
• Portfolio Formatting: Creates structured, professional documentation ready for multiple use cases

Input Requirements

This skill operates on the current repository where it's invoked. No external input needed, but the skill will analyze:

• Repository structure and file organization
• Code files (all languages)
• README files and documentation
• Package manifests (package.json, requirements.txt, etc.)
• Configuration files
• Git history and commit messages (if available)
• Test files and frameworks
• Deployment configurations

Optional context you can provide:

• Business metrics or outcomes you want to highlight
• Specific challenges you faced
• Target audience for the documentation (recruiters, technical interviewers, etc.)

Output Format

Generates a PROJECT.md file with the following structure:

Main Sections

1. Elevator Pitch: 2-3 sentence summary (what, who, why)
2. Context & Problem: Problem statement and domain context
3. Solution & Approach: High-level solution and design principles
4. Technical Implementation:
   • Architecture overview
   • Technology stack breakdown
   • Key design decisions with rationale
5. Key Features: 5-10 most important features
6. Outcomes & Metrics: Quantifiable results and impact
7. Technical Challenges & Solutions: 3-5 significant challenges with solutions
8. Learnings & Growth: Skills developed and insights gained
9. Future Enhancements: Roadmap and potential improvements
10. Project Links: Repository, demo, documentation links
11. Tags: Technology and domain tags for searchability
12. Portfolio Use Cases: Quick extraction guides for different contexts

How to Use

Basic Invocation:

Hey Claude—I just added the "repo-summarizer" skill. Can you analyze this repository and generate a PROJECT.md file?

With Specific Focus:

Hey Claude—I just added the "repo-summarizer" skill. Can you create a PROJECT.md emphasizing the AI/ML components and system architecture?

With Business Context:

Hey Claude—I just added the "repo-summarizer" skill. Generate a PROJECT.md for this repo. Note that it reduced processing time by 70% and serves 10,000+ users daily.

Analysis Methodology

When invoked, the skill follows this systematic approach:

1. Repository Discovery

• Identify project type (web app, CLI tool, library, mobile app, etc.)
• Map directory structure and file organization
• Locate main entry points and core modules
• Identify configuration and build files

2. Technology Stack Analysis

• Extract dependencies from manifest files
• Identify frameworks and libraries from imports
• Catalog databases, APIs, and external services
• Document testing frameworks and tools
• Note deployment and infrastructure setup

3. Architecture Understanding

• Identify architectural patterns (MVC, microservices, etc.)
• Map component relationships and data flow
• Document system boundaries and integrations
• Analyze code organization and modularity

4. Feature Extraction

• Examine main code paths and modules
• Read existing documentation and comments
• Identify user-facing functionality
• Note internal capabilities and utilities

5. Challenge Identification

• Look for complex algorithms or custom solutions
• Find performance optimizations
• Identify cross-cutting concerns (security, scalability)
• Note integration challenges and workarounds

6. Synthesis & Documentation

• Craft compelling elevator pitch
• Write problem/solution narrative
• Document technical decisions with rationale
• Create feature descriptions
• Generate professional PROJECT.md

Template Structure

The skill uses this proven template structure:

# [Project Name] - Project Portfolio

## Elevator Pitch
[2-3 sentences: What it does, who it's for, why it matters]

## Context & Problem
[Problem statement, domain context, user needs]

## Solution & Approach
[High-level solution, key principles]

## Technical Implementation
### Architecture
### Technology Stack
### Key Design Decisions

## Key Features
[5-10 bullet points]

## Outcomes & Metrics
[Quantifiable results]

## Technical Challenges & Solutions
[3-5 challenges with solutions]

## Learnings & Growth
[Skills and insights]

## Future Enhancements
[Roadmap items]

## Project Links
[Repository, demo, docs]

## Tags
[Technology keywords]

## Portfolio Use Cases
[Quick extraction guides]

Example Template Reference

The skill includes a complete example (GitHub PM project) showing:

• Professional tone and style
• Appropriate technical depth
• Balanced detail across sections
• Effective use of metrics
• Clear challenge/solution narratives
• Portfolio-ready formatting

Best Practices

1. Be Thorough: Examine multiple files to understand the full scope
2. Balance Detail: Technical depth without overwhelming readers
3. Use Specifics: Concrete examples over vague descriptions
4. Show Impact: Include metrics and outcomes whenever possible
5. Tell Stories: Frame challenges as narrative problem-solving
6. Consider Audience: Write for both technical and non-technical readers
7. Stay Professional: Maintain objective, professional tone
8. Be Honest: Acknowledge limitations and trade-offs

Quality Standards

Generated PROJECT.md files should:

✅ Clarity: Understandable by diverse audiences ✅ Completeness: All template sections filled meaningfully ✅ Accuracy: Reflects actual codebase and implementation ✅ Professionalism: Portfolio and resume-ready quality ✅ Actionability: Provides concrete examples and use cases ✅ Searchability: Includes relevant tags and keywords ✅ Adaptability: Content easily extracted for different contexts

Limitations

• Code Understanding: Analysis quality depends on code clarity and documentation
• Business Context: May need user input for metrics and business outcomes
• Private Information: Cannot access metrics, analytics, or deployment data not in code
• Historical Context: Limited to what's visible in current repository state
• Subjective Decisions: Design decision rationale may be inferred, not explicit
• Scope Boundaries: Large monorepos may need guidance on what to include

When NOT to Use

• Repository has no meaningful code (empty, template-only, trivial)
• Project is proprietary and documentation would expose sensitive information
• Repository is a fork with minimal changes
• Project is in very early stages with no substantial implementation

Related Skills

Works well with:

• Code documentation generators: Provide detailed API docs
• Architecture diagram tools: Visual architecture supplements
• Resume builders: Extract PROJECT.md content for resumes
• Portfolio site generators: Convert PROJECT.md to web content

Maintenance

Update PROJECT.md when:

• Major features are added
• Architecture significantly changes
• New challenges are solved
• Measurable outcomes improve
• Technology stack evolves

Recommended: Quarterly reviews to keep documentation current.