c3-query_skill

Overview

This skill navigates C3 architecture documentation and examines matching code to answer architecture questions. It combines docs and code so responses cite layers, file references, and concrete insights. Use it to locate components, explain flows, and trace constraints across the C3 hierarchy.

How this skill works

It first confirms the project has C3 docs under .c3/ and loads required reference guides for traversal and constraint queries. The flow clarifies intent when needed, navigates Context → Container → Component layers in the docs, extracts code references, and then explores the codebase (globs, greps, and reads files) to verify and enrich findings. For constraint queries it follows a chain-up procedure collecting cited refs and synthesizing applicable rules.

When to use it

• Ask "where is X", "how does X work", or "explain X" for architecture-level answers
• Locate a component by C3 ID (c3-*) or find which component handles a responsibility
• Trace flow or dependency: "trace X", "flow of X", or "what calls X"
• Request a diagram or architecture overview of Context/Container/Component
• Ask which rules/constraints apply to a feature (constraint chain queries)

Best practices

• Ensure the repository contains a .c3/ directory with C3 docs before running this skill
• Include C3 IDs (c3-101, c3-2-api, adr-*) in queries when possible to skip clarification
• If question is vague, provide aspect or scope (e.g., login UI vs token issuance)
• Prefer queries that request both docs and code verification for actionable answers
• For changes, use the dedicated change skill instead of this navigation skill

Example use cases

• "Where is authentication handled?" — locate auth component, list file paths, summarize implementation
• "Explain c3-201 and how it connects to other components" — show layer, code refs, and relationships
• "What constraints apply to payment processing?" — run constraint chain and synthesize rules
• "Show a diagram of the C3 architecture" — produce an overview derived from Context → Container → Component
• "How does error handling work across containers?" — find pattern refs and cite which components use them