Codebase Knowledge Builder: skill pack for Hermes Agent

Agent skill that studies a repository and writes a source-cited Markdown knowledge artifact

What Codebase Knowledge Builder does

The skill follows a four-phase process: reconnaissance of root, scope and revision; a deep dive that traces behavior from evidenced entry points; authoring into a template; and validation, redaction and delivery. Each artifact records the inspected revision, scope and exclusions, gives an executive answer, traces happy paths, error paths and edge cases, and cites sources as relative/path:line. Claims are labeled observed, inferred, unknown or not applicable, with reasoning for inferences.

It treats repository content as untrusted evidence that cannot authorize commands, network access or wider scope. The target stays read-only by default, builds and package scripts need explicit authorization, secret-bearing files are excluded, symbolic links are reported but not followed, and output goes outside the target unless you choose an exact destination. It builds no index and runs no server. The result is portable Markdown, optionally with Mermaid diagrams, that a developer or another coding agent can review and reuse.

Key features

Four-phase study: reconnaissance, deep dive, authoring and validation
Source citations in relative/path:line form
Observed, inferred, unknown and not applicable labels for claims
Read-only by default, with secret files excluded and links not followed
Optional Mermaid diagrams and a final validation and redaction record

When to use it

Onboarding a new maintainer to an unfamiliar subsystem
Handing a reviewable architecture note to another coding agent
Documenting error paths and unknowns before changing code

Who it is for: Developers and teams who need a documented understanding of a codebase before editing it, and who use skill-capable agents.

How it fits with Hermes Agent

Follows the open agentskills.io Agent Skill format, and the author tags the repository hermes-agent. The README does not include Hermes-specific setup steps.

How to install Codebase Knowledge Builder

These commands are copied from the project's README. Check the repository for the latest steps before you run them.

npx --yes skills@1.5.23 add OthmanAdi/codebase-knowledge-builder --skill codebase-knowledge-builder -g

FAQ

What is Codebase Knowledge Builder?

Codebase Knowledge Builder is an Agent Skill that studies a repository or subsystem and writes a Markdown knowledge artifact with source citations, error paths and an explicit list of unknowns. It builds no index and runs no server.

Does Codebase Knowledge Builder work with Hermes Agent?

The repository is tagged hermes-agent and follows the portable agentskills.io skill format, alongside Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode tags. The README does not give Hermes-specific instructions.

How do I install Codebase Knowledge Builder?

Run npx --yes skills@1.5.23 add OthmanAdi/codebase-knowledge-builder --skill codebase-knowledge-builder -g. Then ask your agent to study a subsystem and build a source-cited knowledge artifact.