tech-stack-detection_skill

Overview

This skill auto-detects a project’s tech stack, package manager, and configuration patterns to help you jump into unfamiliar codebases faster. It reports likely frameworks (React, Vue, Next.js, Django, Express, etc.), the package manager in use, and key files and directory conventions to be aware of. The output includes suggested commands and a confidence estimate when indicators are ambiguous.

How this skill works

The skill inspects lockfiles and manifests (package-lock.json, yarn.lock, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml, etc.) to determine the package manager and ecosystem. It parses dependency lists and common config files (package.json, pyproject.toml, next.config.js, vite.config.ts) and checks directory structure patterns (pages/, app/, src/, routes/, views/). It combines matches across indicators to produce a framework name, probable version when detectable, package manager commands, relevant config files, directory conventions, and a confidence score.

When to use it

• Starting work on an unfamiliar repository to quickly understand the stack
• Preparing framework-specific recommendations or migration plans
• Before running dependency or build commands to pick the correct package manager
• Auditing dependencies and identifying backend vs frontend frameworks
• Scoping tasks in monorepos where multiple packages may use different stacks

Best practices

• Check multiple indicators (lockfile + manifest + directory layout) before trusting detection
• Report a confidence level and list ambiguous matches for manual verification
• Note when multiple frameworks or meta-frameworks coexist (e.g., Next.js + Tailwind + Prisma)
• Handle monorepos by scanning package/module subfolders individually
• Include recommended package manager commands and key config files in the output for fast onboarding

Example use cases

• Onboarding a new developer: detect stack, commands, and important files to edit
• Preflight before running install/build: choose npm/yarn/pnpm/pip commands correctly
• Generating framework-specific linting and testing recommendations
• Preparing patch or migration plans by mapping dependencies to framework versions
• Detecting backend vs frontend frameworks to route work to the right team