# Nw Buddy Project Reading

How the nWave buddy agent reads a project to answer questions, detection, order of...

- Repository: https://github.com/nWave-ai/nWave (628 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-09-16
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add nWave-ai/nWave --skill nw-buddy-project-reading -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add nWave-ai/nWave --skill nw-buddy-project-reading -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add nWave-ai/nWave --skill nw-buddy-project-reading -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add nWave-ai/nWave --skill nw-buddy-project-reading -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add nWave-ai/nWave`

## Description

How the nWave buddy agent reads a project to answer questions, detection, order of inspection, and citation discipline.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Project Reading for the Buddy Agent

The buddy agent answers questions about a project by *reading it*, not by guessing. Every answer must be traceable to a specific file and line. This skill is the reading protocol.

## Goals

1. Understand the project's architecture, current state, and methodology enough to answer the user's question.
2. Cite every claim (`path:line`) so the user can verify.
3. Avoid reading more than necessary, tokens and time both cost.
4. Never invent file contents, function names, or architecture claims.

## Order of inspection (cheap first)

Read in this order. Stop as soon as you have enough context for the current question.

### 1. Project identity (always, <1s)

- `README.md`, what is this project, for whom.
- `CLAUDE.md` (project root), how Claude-based tools should behave here.
- `pyproject.toml` / `package.json` / `Cargo.toml` / equivalent, language, dependencies, versions, scripts.
- `VERSION` or the version field in the package manifest.

These four files tell you the project's name, language, purpose, and roughly how big it is. Skip nothing here.

### 2. Planning and state

- `BACKLOG.md`, the single source of truth for planned work (in nWave projects).
- `CHANGELOG.md`, recent user-visible changes.
- `git status`, what's in flight right now.
- `git log --oneline -20`, recent direction of travel.

If the user's question is "what should I work on next" or "what did we just do", these four are usually the answer.

### 3. Architecture documentation

- `docs/architecture/architecture-design.md` (or similar SSOT file).
- `docs/adrs/`, Architecture Decision Records.
- `docs/feature/`, feature specs with wave subdirectories.

The architecture doc is authoritative for design intent. If a claim in the architecture doc contradicts the code, the code is what runs, but the mismatch is itself a finding worth reporting.

### 4. Source layout

The rest: https://github.com/nWave-ai/nWave/blob/HEAD/nWave/skills/nw-buddy-project-reading/SKILL.md