cpp-core-guidelines-review_skill

Overview

This skill runs a parallel, sectioned review of C++ code against the C++ Core Guidelines using specialized sub-agents. It coordinates one sub-agent per guideline section to produce per-section markdown reports in review/ and then consolidates those results into a Summary.md. Use it to find high-confidence guideline violations across files or directories without modifying source code.

How this skill works

I first clarify the exact scope (target files, patterns, exclusions). Then I launch dedicated sub-agents in parallel, one per guideline section, each configured to read its section file and analyze only the specified target files. Each sub-agent writes a <SectionName>.md with file path, line numbers, code snippets, and specific rule IDs for confirmed violations. After all agents complete, I aggregate their outputs into review/Summary.md with counts, rankings, and recommendations.

When to use it

• Review specific C++ files or a directory for nonconforming patterns against the Core Guidelines
• Perform a focused review limited to certain guideline sections (e.g., Resource Management)
• Generate a consolidated compliance report for audits or code quality gates
• Identify systemic patterns and high-priority violations across a codebase
• Automate recurring guideline checks without changing source files

Best practices

• Always provide explicit scope: file paths, extensions, and exclusions before starting
• Limit the review to relevant sections when you want faster, targeted results
• Keep the repository's references/Content/ updated so each sub-agent has the correct ruleset
• Allocate sufficient timeouts for large codebases; the process waits for each sub-agent to finish
• Review the generated per-section markdown files before applying fixes

Example use cases

• Run a full C++ Core Guidelines audit for a new module before release
• Check only Resource Management and Error Handling sections for memory/safety issues
• Scan all header files in include/ for interface and const-correctness violations
• Produce a summarized report for a security review showing high-priority guideline breaches