# codebase-documenter

Generates beginner-friendly README files, architecture guides, code comments, and API documentation. Helps onboarding developers grasp a project structure quickly.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1500 installs · ★ 458
- Author: ailabs-393
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills/tree/HEAD/dist/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2025-11-11
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/codebase-documenter

## What it does

This skill standardizes four documentation formats: project-level READMEs, architecture overviews, inline code comments, and API endpoint guides. It enforces principles like explaining the reasoning behind implementation choices, using progressive disclosure, and ensuring the setup walkthrough runs in under 5 minutes.

The workflow follows three steps. The agent first inspects entry points, module relationships, and existing configuration files. Next, it determines the required document type and customizes pre-built templates from the `assets/templates/` directory, including `README.template.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.template.md`.

The templates specifically prioritize onboarding beginners, so teams writing strictly internal deep-dive references might find the output unnecessarily verbose.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --skill codebase-documenter -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/codebase-documenter/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --skill codebase-documenter -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --skill codebase-documenter -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills codebase-documenter
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --skill codebase-documenter -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --path dist/skills/codebase-documenter
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills --skill codebase-documenter -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills/tree/HEAD/dist/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- draft a root README with a sub-five-minute quickstart guide
- document module dependencies, data flows, and directory structure
- add explanatory comments to complex algorithms showing why decisions were made
- write API endpoint documentation with curl snippets and error codes

## Example prompts
- Analyze this repository and draft a README.md using the project template
- Write an architecture overview document explaining system data flows and module dependencies
- Add comments to the functions in this file, explaining why the logic handles these edge cases

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 35c6644bc68611e7.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 35c6644bc68611e7
````text
---
name: codebase-documenter
description: This skill should be used when writing documentation for codebases, including README files, architecture documentation, code comments, and API documentation. Use this skill when users request help documenting their code, creating getting-started guides, explaining project structure, or making codebases more accessible to new developers. The skill provides templates, best practices, and structured approaches for creating clear, beginner-friendly documentation.
---

# Codebase Documenter

## Overview

This skill enables creating comprehensive, beginner-friendly documentation for codebases. It provides structured templates and best practices for writing READMEs, architecture guides, code comments, and API documentation that help new users quickly understand and contribute to projects.

## Core Principles for Beginner-Friendly Documentation

When documenting code for new users, follow these fundamental principles:

1. **Start with the "Why"** - Explain the purpose before diving into implementation details
2. **Use Progressive Disclosure** - Present information in layers from simple to complex
3. **Provide Context** - Explain not just what the code does, but why it exists
4. **Include Examples** - Show concrete usage examples for every concept
5. **Assume No Prior Knowledge** - Define terms and avoid jargon when possible
6. **Visual Aids** - Use diagrams, flowcharts, and file tree structures
7. **Quick Wins** - Help users get something running within 5 minutes

## Documentation Types and When to Use Them

### 1. README Documentation

**When to create:** For project root directories, major feature modules, or standalone components.

**Structure to follow:**
```markdown
# Project Name

## What This Does
[1-2 sentence plain-English explanation]

## Quick Start
[Get users running the project in < 5 minutes]

## Project Structure
[Visual file tree with explanations]

## Key Concepts
[Core concepts users need to understand]

## Common Tasks
[Step-by-step guides for frequent operations]

## Troubleshooting
[Common issues and solutions]
```

**Best practices:**
- Lead with the project's value proposition
- Include setup instructions that actually work (test them!)
- Provide a visual overview of the project structure
- Link to deeper documentation for advanced topics
- Keep the root README focused on getting started

### 2. Architecture Documentation

**When to create:** For projects with multiple modules, complex data flows, or non-obvious design decisions.

**Structure to follow:**
```markdown
# Architecture Overview

## System Design
[High-level diagram and explanation]
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 35c6644bc68611e7

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 35c6644bc68611e7 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2649 of 11829 bytes. © ailabs-393 · MIT · https://github.com/ailabs-393/ai-labs-claude-skills/tree/HEAD/dist/skills/codebase-documenter/SKILL.md

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