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Agent skill

Explore Code

by opentrace in opentrace/opentrace

Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph.

Apache-2.0Auto-check passedKnowledge Management

Install Explore Code

skills CLI
$ npx skills add opentrace/opentrace --skill explore-code -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install opentrace/opentrace explore-code --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/opentrace/opentrace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/claude-code/skills/explore-code .claude/skills/explore-code && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
explore-code
GitHub stars
108
Token cost
~701 tokens
SKILL.md length
239 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
2
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
Apache-2.0

At a glance

Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph.

  • Works in 6 steps: Orient — Call get_stats to see what's… → Search — Use search_graph to find nodes… → Inspect — Use get_node on the best… → …
  • ANY question about the codebase that the graph might answer — including browsing
  • SKILL.md covers Query, Instructions and Response Guidelines
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Explore Code is an agent skill from opentrace/opentrace. Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph. Use this skill for ANY question about the codebase that the graph might answer — including browsing, searching, and understanding code organization. Triggers on: - Structure: "how does X work", "what calls X", "show me the architecture", "where is X defined" - Browsing: "what's in X", "show me X", "look at X", "list the files in X", "what directories are there" - Discovery: "find X", "what…

Its SKILL.md is about 700 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Knowledge Management, covering Knowledge graphs. The repository describes itself as: OpenTrace is a knowledge graph platform that maps system architecture, code structure, and service relationships giving you a visual, queryable map of how your codebase and… The licence is Apache-2.0.

When your agent uses it

  • ANY question about the codebase that the graph might answer — including browsing
  • Understanding code organization
  • : - Structure: how does X work
  • Show me the architecture

Example prompts

  • “how does X work”
  • “what calls X”
  • “show me the architecture”
  • “/explore-code”

Requirements

  • Pre-approved tools (allowed-tools): mcp__opentrace_oss__search_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_node, mcp__opentrace_oss__traverse_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__list_nodes, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_stats, Read, Grep, Glob

Workflow steps

6 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Orient — Call get_stats to see what's indexed (node types and counts). This tells you what's available in the graph.
  2. Search — Use search_graph to find nodes matching the user's query. Use nodeTypes to filter when appropriate
  3. Inspect — Use get_node on the best matches to see full details and neighbors.
  4. Trace — Use traverse_graph to follow relationships
  5. List — Use list_nodes when the user wants to see all items of a type (e.g. all services, all files in a directory).
  6. Read source — If nodes have a path property and the user needs code details, use Read to show the source.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 4f448b3. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves these tools, so the agent can use them without asking each time:

    • mcp__opentrace_oss__search_graph
    • mcp__opentrace_oss__get_node
    • mcp__opentrace_oss__traverse_graph
    • mcp__opentrace_oss__list_nodes
    • mcp__opentrace_oss__get_stats
    • Read
    • Grep
    • Glob

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Explore Code loads about 701 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 190 tokens; SKILL.md has 239 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~190
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~701

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from opentrace/opentrace at commit 4f448b3, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© opentrace). 239 words, ~701 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/explore-code/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
explore-code
description
Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph. Use this skill for ANY question about the codebase that the graph might answer — including browsing, searching, and understanding code organization. Triggers on: - Structure: "how does X work", "what calls X", "show me the architecture", "where is X defined" - Browsing: "what's in X", "show me X", "look at X", "list the files in X", "what directories are there" - Discovery: "find X", "what examples exist", "what services/classes/files are there" - Exploration: "walk me through X", "give me an overview", "help me understand X" - General: any question about repo structure, code organization, or component relationships
allowed-tools
mcp__opentrace_oss__search_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_node, mcp__opentrace_oss__traverse_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__list_nodes, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_stats, Read, Grep, Glob

The user wants to explore or understand something about the codebase. Use the OpenTrace knowledge graph to answer their question.

Query

$ARGUMENTS

Instructions

Use the OpenTrace MCP tools to investigate. Follow this approach:

  1. Orient — Call get_stats to see what's indexed (node types and counts). This tells you what's available in the graph.

  2. Search — Use search_graph to find nodes matching the user's query. Use nodeTypes to filter when appropriate:

    • Architecture questions → "Service,Repository"
    • Code questions → "Class,Function,Module"
    • File/directory browsing → "File,Directory"
    • Data questions → "Database,DBTable"
    • Infrastructure → "Deployment,Cluster,Namespace"
    • Unsure → omit nodeTypes to search everything

  3. Inspect — Use get_node on the best matches to see full details and neighbors.

  4. Trace — Use traverse_graph to follow relationships:

    • "What calls X?" → direction: incoming
    • "What does X depend on?" → direction: outgoing
    • "What's in X?" → direction: outgoing (CONTAINS relationships)
    • "How are X and Y connected?" → traverse from both and find common nodes

  5. List — Use list_nodes when the user wants to see all items of a type (e.g. all services, all files in a directory).

  6. Read source — If nodes have a path property and the user needs code details, use Read to show the source.

Response Guidelines

  • Lead with a clear, concise answer before showing supporting details
  • Show relationships as paths: ServiceA --CALLS--> ServiceB --READS--> DatabaseC
  • Group related information (structure, dependencies, consumers)
  • Offer to drill deeper if the graph reveals more to explore
  • If the graph doesn't have the data, say so and fall back to Glob/Grep/Read

© opentrace, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in plugins/claude-code/skills/explore-code of opentrace/opentrace.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 4f448b3

Compare with similar skills

Explore Code next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Explore Code compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Explore Code this skillopentrace/opentrace108—~701Automated safety check: PassApache-2.0
LLM Wiki Knowledge GraphEgonex-AI/Understand-Anything86k1 repos~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Ontology1mancompany/OneManCompany4402 repos~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Graphagenticnotetaking/arscontexta3.5k1 repos~4.9kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
Obsidian Canvas BoardsAgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian15k—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Knowledge Graphgnomeria/usbtree690—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Categories

Questions about Explore Code

What does Explore Code do?

Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph. Explore Code is an agent skill from opentrace/opentrace. Explore code structure, architecture, files, directories, and component relationships using the OpenTrace knowledge graph.

When should I use Explore Code?

Explore Code fits situations like: ANY question about the codebase that the graph might answer — including browsing; understanding code organization; : - Structure: how does X work; show me the architecture.

How do I install Explore Code in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add opentrace/opentrace --skill explore-code -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/claude-code/skills/explore-code in opentrace/opentrace) into .claude/skills/explore-code in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Explore Code in Codex?

Run `npx skills add opentrace/opentrace --skill explore-code -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/claude-code/skills/explore-code in opentrace/opentrace) into .agents/skills/explore-code in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Explore Code in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add opentrace/opentrace --skill explore-code -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/explore-code, .gemini/skills/explore-code, .github/skills/explore-code and .opencode/skills/explore-code in your project.

What does Explore Code need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Explore Code is instructions for the agent only. Its frontmatter pre-approves these tools: mcp__opentrace_oss__search_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_node, mcp__opentrace_oss__traverse_graph, mcp__opentrace_oss__list_nodes, mcp__opentrace_oss__get_stats, Read, Grep, Glob.

Does Explore Code access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Explore Code safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Explore Code use?

Explore Code is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Explore Code use?

About 701 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2.8k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Explore Code?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Explore Code: LLM Wiki Knowledge Graph (Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything, 86k stars), Ontology (1mancompany/OneManCompany, 440 stars), Graph (agenticnotetaking/arscontexta, 3.5k stars) and Obsidian Canvas Boards (AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian, 15k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Explore Code?

opentrace (a GitHub organization) maintains it in opentrace/opentrace, which has 108 GitHub stars. The repository holds 2 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 12, 2026.

Source: opentrace/opentrace on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.