Ask HN: Do you still trace new codebases manually?

culopatin1 pts0 comments

How do you navigate an unknown codebase before making a change?When you drop into a large, unfamiliar repository, what is your process for understanding what components play a role and how?Do you rely on specific tools, mental mapping techniques, or do you just start dropping breakpoints and print statements? I d love to hear about your workflow for building a mental model of a new system.I usually ask an LLM to map out a feature and give me a tour, but they are very bids eye view and I want to know things down to the detail, so I find the entry point and follow calls through the IDE, jump between definitions, search for usages, etc. I try to build the execution flow in my head but end up a bit overwhelmed if there are too many layers. Also asking LLMs is a bit cumbersome because I have to reference what I’m talking about, they give me a 10 paragraph answer and by paragraph 2 I already have a follow up question, so it’s a bit messy.Are there any tools for this?

tools mental give follow paragraph still

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