The original title is "How to Use AI to Understand an Unfamiliar Codebase"

Short summary

Understand unfamiliar codebases fast by using AI as a structured reading partner. Start with directory structure orientation to identify architecture, then request structured file breakdowns rather than summaries, trace execution paths across connected files, and generate a team-ready reference doc. Each step—structure, file, flow, reference—moves from abstract to concrete, replacing days of manual code reading with targeted AI investigation.

• •Analyze directory structure with AI first to understand architecture and identify key files
• •Request structured breakdowns (purpose, inputs/outputs, dependencies, gotchas) for individual files
• •Trace execution paths across multiple files to understand data flow and integration points
• •Generate a New Contributor Cheat Sheet with system overview, modules, and common pitfalls

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.