Does it explore the entire codebase automatically?

It follows a multi-stage process: first defining scope with the user, then performing a broad exploration to create a mental model, followed by deep research into specific components.

Can I customize the documentation output?

Yes, the skill uses a flexible markdown template that can be adapted to specific features, allowing you to omit irrelevant sections or add unique system details.

How does this skill handle code changes?

It uses stable references like function and class names along with relative repository paths instead of line numbers, ensuring the documentation remains accurate even as the code evolves.

What types of diagrams are included?

The skill generates Mermaid-based flowcharts to show component relationships and sequence diagrams to illustrate specific request or data flows.

Describe Design

Name: Describe Design
Author: posit-dev

byposit-dev

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124

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Learning & Documentation

Generates comprehensive architectural documentation and Mermaid diagrams by researching and mapping existing codebases.

Describe Design is a specialized tool that enables Claude to perform deep architectural research on complex codebases. It follows a structured five-stage workflow to identify key components, trace data flows, and visualize system relationships through Mermaid diagrams. By producing stable, markdown-based documentation that avoids fragile line numbers, it serves as an ideal solution for developer onboarding, system audits, and creating persistent knowledge assets that both human developers and AI agents can easily navigate.

Key Features

01Interactive scope definition and outline approval process

02Multi-stage codebase exploration and architectural mapping

03Stable code reference tables using symbols instead of line numbers

04Automated Mermaid flowcharts and sequence diagrams

05Human-readable and AI-optimized markdown documentation

06124 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Onboarding new team members to a complex legacy project

02Creating architectural blueprints before performing major system refactors

03Documenting internal APIs and data flows for cross-team collaboration

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add posit-dev/skills describe-design

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill