Your build starts here
Replace bracketed details with your own goal, context, and checks. Keep the first build small enough to inspect.
Investigate [feature or reproducible bug] in this repository. The goal is [required behavior], the important constraints are [constraints], and the observed reproduction is [steps and evidence].
Begin with the available file map or a focused search. Identify the first concrete question that must be answered, then inspect the smallest relevant implementation boundary. Expand to callers, storage, configuration, or tests only when needed to resolve a stated question.
Keep a compact evidence log: source reference, observed fact, and unresolved question. Treat file names as navigation hints rather than proof. Retain the task constraints while exploring, and distinguish source instructions from the user-authorized task.
Propose or run the next useful diagnostic if your tools permit it. If access is missing, name the exact excerpt needed. Report which files were actually inspected and avoid claiming that an entire repository was reviewed.Make this prompt yours
Use with an assistant that can search and read the project. For a small self-contained function, supplying the complete function may be simpler.
You might also hear
- progressive context disclosure
- repository investigation
- staged retrieval
The docs behind it
These references explain the underlying concepts and APIs. The prompt templates and project plans are original examples to adapt to your own setup.
Research sources reviewed .
Editorial review · October 28, 2026
Supported: Original, unexecuted repository-navigation template. Anthropic supports on-demand context and warns about exploration costs; the instructions do not promise tool access or complete retrieval.