Home › Prompts › Gemini › Explain an unfamiliar codebase

Explain an unfamiliar codebase

Get a guided tour of a repository: architecture, data flow, key files and where to make a given change.

GeminiCodingRuleStack original

Written for Gemini 4 Argon · Updated 2026-10-16

Note: Review and test before use. Provided as is, without warranty. See Terms.

Prompt

Download  
Here is a repository dump [or attached files]. Explain it for a developer joining the team: 1) what it does, 2) architecture diagram in Mermaid, 3) request/data flow for [main feature], 4) the 10 most important files and what each does, 5) how to run and test it, 6) where I'd change code to [planned change]. Cite file paths.

Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details.

Settings & parameters

Variations

Tips

More: all Gemini prompts · all coding prompts · prompt library

Related prompts

Debug an error with hypotheses

A debugging prompt that makes the model rank hypotheses and suggest the fastest checks instead of guessing a fix.

ChatGPTCoding

Thorough pull request review

A structured code review focused on correctness, security and maintainability, with severity labels and concrete fixes.

ClaudeCoding

Generate meaningful unit tests

Tests that cover behavior, edge cases and failure modes for a function, in your framework's style.

ClaudeCoding

Write and explain a SQL query from a schema

Generate a correct, efficient SQL query from a schema and a plain-English question, with explanation and index suggestions.

GrokCoding

Safe refactor plan with small steps

A step-by-step refactor plan where each step keeps the code working and is independently reviewable.

Any chat AICoding

Get new rules weekly

One email a week: fresh rule files, agent tips, and what's changing in Cursor, Claude Code and Copilot. Free, unsubscribe anytime.

Opens the Rulestack Newsletter on beehiiv in a new tab. Or subscribe directly on beehiiv.