{
  "markdown": "# Outside-In Code Review\n[![Release skill](https://github.com/ythirion/outside-in-code-review-skill/actions/workflows/release.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/ythirion/outside-in-code-review-skill/actions/workflows/release.yml)\n[![GitHub Release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/ythirion/outside-in-code-review-skill)](https://github.com/ythirion/outside-in-code-review-skill/releases)\n[![Listed on ClaudePluginHub](https://www.claudepluginhub.com/badge/ythirion-outside-in-code-review)](https://www.claudepluginhub.com/plugins/ythirion-outside-in-code-review?ref=badge)\n\nA structured skill for AI agents to explore and review unknown codebases — layer by layer, from surface artifacts down to implementation detail.\n\n> \"We spend up to 60% of our time reading code... yet treat this as a side effect rather than a skill to cultivate.\"\n\n![Outside in code review logo](img/outside-in-code-review.webp)\n\n## What is Outside-In Code Review?\n\nOutside-In Code Review is a systematic methodology for understanding unfamiliar codebases without getting lost. It starts with what is visible without reading code (docs, git history, CI/CD), then progressively dives into code structure, quality, and behavior.\n\nApplied with AI, it becomes a rapid discovery process: an agent can reverse-engineer a product backlog, generate architecture diagrams, and rate code quality — all from a cold start, in ~1 hour.\n\n## Articles\n\nThis skill is based on my two articles:\n- [Outside-In Discovery: A Structured Approach to Unknown Codebases](https://goatreview.com/outside-approach-discover-unknown-codebases/)\n- [Augmented Outside-In Discovery with Claude Code](https://goatreview.com/augmented-outside-discovery-claude-code/)\n\n## Repository Structure\n\n```\noutside-in-code-review/\n├── .claude-plugin/\n│   └── plugin.json              # Plugin manifest (claudepluginhub.com)\n├── commands/                    # Slash commands installed by the plugin\n│   ├── gather_product_insights.md\n│   ├── explain_the_architecture.md\n│   ├── detail_flow.md\n│   └── rate_code_quality.md\n├── skills/\n│   └── outside-in-code-review/\n│       ├── SKILL.md             # Skill definition: frontmatter metadata + execution protocol\n│       └── references/\n│           └── catalog.md       # All 28 code smells — definitions and refactoring guidance\n├── examples/\n│   ├── Report.md                # Sample Report.md for a fictional codebase\n│   └── details/                 # Sample detail files (Backlog, C4, CodeQuality)\n├── scripts/\n│   └── package.sh               # Builds outside-in-code-review-<version>.zip\n├── README.md                    # This file\n├── METHODOLOGY.md               # The 10-step outside-in framework\n├── checklist.md                 # Quick reference checklist\n├── LICENSE\n└── .github/\n    └── workflows/\n        └── release.yml          # Packages .skill and creates draft release on version tag\n```\n\n## Installation\n\n### Option 1 — Claude Plugin Hub (recommended)\n\nInstall directly via the [Claude Plugin Hub](https://www.claudepluginhub.com/plugins/ythirion-outside-in-code-review):\n\n```\noutside-in-code-review\n```\n\nThe plugin installs the skill and all slash commands automatically. From any Claude Code session, just describe what you want:\n\n> *\"Review this codebase\"* / *\"Technical audit\"* / *\"Help me understand this repo\"*\n\n### Option 2 — AI agent skill (manual)\n\nDownload the latest zip from the [Releases](../../releases) page, unzip, and install:\n\n```bash\nmkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/outside-in-code-review\ncp -r skill/* ~/.claude/skills/outside-in-code-review/\n```\n\n### Option 3 — Individual slash commands\n\n```bash\ncp commands/* ~/.claude/commands/\n```\n\n### Option 4 — From source\n\n```bash\nbash scripts/package.sh\n# produces outside-in-code-review-<version>.zip\n\nunzip outside-in-code-review-*.zip\n\n# Install as a skill\nmkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/outside-in-code-review\ncp -r skill/* ~/.claude/skills/outside-in-code-review/\n```\n\n> Claude Code loads skills from `~/.claude/skills/` and commands from `~/.claude/commands/` (global) or `.claude/commands/` (project-level).\n\n## Release a new version\n\n1. Bump the `version` field in `skills/outside-in-code-review/SKILL.md` (and in `.claude-plugin/plugin.json`)\n2. Commit and push\n3. Tag the commit with the matching version:\n\n```bash\ngit tag v1.1.0\ngit push origin v1.1.0\n```\n\nThe GitHub Action (`.github/workflows/release.yml`) will:\n- Package `outside-in-review.skill` from source\n- Validate that the tag matches the version in `SKILL.md`\n- Create a **draft release** on GitHub with the `.skill` file attached\n\nThe Claude Plugin Hub auto-discovers the update within 2 hours once the tag is pushed.\n\nOpen the draft on GitHub, review the release notes, and publish when ready.\n\n## Usage\n\n### Running a full discovery session\n\nOnce the skill is installed, just describe what you want in any Claude Code session:\n\n> *\"Review this codebase\"* / *\"Technical audit\"* / *\"I don't know this codebase\"*\n\nThe skill runs all four phases automatically and produces `outside-in-review/Report.md` + `outside-in-review/details/{Backlog,C4,CodeQuality}.md`.\n\n### Running individual steps\n\n```bash\n# Generate C4 architecture diagrams only\n/explain_the_architecture\n\n# Rate code quality with smell detection\n/rate_code_quality\n\n# Trace a specific feature flow\n/detail_flow User Login\n```\n\n## Sample Output\n\nSee [`examples/Report.md`](./examples/Report.md) for a complete example of what the discovery report looks like.\n\n## Core Principles\n\n- **Outside before inside** — surface artifacts reveal as much as code\n- **AI as cognitive reducer** — let the agent build the first mental model\n- **Human validation is mandatory** — all AI outputs must be verified with stakeholders\n\n## More explanations\nI have explained the concepts behind this approach during a talk at [Mendercon 2026](https://mendercon.com/):\n[![Outside-In Discovery - A structured way to understand Legacy Code](img/outside-in-discovery@mendercon.webp)](https://canva.link/4b9mxwe0oxw67js)\n",
  "bytes": 5985,
  "sha": "c0f88c093e9d05c14cf0a33baa90b4875eed203ea1e280beb78656efb7789505",
  "repo_slug": "ythirion/outside-in-code-review-skill",
  "fonte": "repo",
  "truncated": false,
  "api": "https://agentalog.com/api/listings/plg_ythirion_outside_in_code_review_skill_ou_26320804/readme"
}