code-tour

---
name: code-tour
description: Use when the user asks to create a CodeTour .tour file — persona-targeted, step-by-step walkthroughs that link to real files and line numbers. Trigger for: create a tour, onboarding tour,
category: Engineering
version: 1.0.0
tools: []
---

# Code Tour

Create **CodeTour** files — persona-targeted, step-by-step walkthroughs of a codebase that link directly to files and line numbers. CodeTour files live in `.tours/` and work with the [VS Code CodeTour extension](https://github.com/microsoft/codetour).

## Overview

A great tour is a **narrative** — a story told to a specific person about what matters, why it matters, and what to do next. Only create `.tour` JSON files. Never modify source code.

## When to Use This Skill

- User asks to create a code tour, onboarding tour, or architecture walkthrough
- User says "tour for this PR", "explain how X works", "vibe check", "RCA tour"
- User wants a contributor guide, security review, or bug investigation walkthrough
- Any request for a structured walkthrough with file/line anchors

## Core Workflow

### 1. Discover the repo

Before asking anything, explore the codebase:

In parallel: list root directory, read README, check config files.
Then: identify language(s), framework(s), project purpose. Map folder structure 1-2 levels deep. Find entry points — every path in the tour must be real.

If the repo has fewer than 5 source files, create a quick-depth tour regardless of persona — there's not enough to warrant a deep one.

### 2. Infer the intent

One message should be enough. Infer persona, depth, and focus silently.

| User says | Persona | Depth |
|-----------|---------|-------|
| "tour for this PR" | pr-reviewer | standard |
| "why did X break" / "RCA" | rca-investigator | standard |
| "onboarding" / "new joiner" | new-joiner | standard |
| "quick tour" / "vibe check" | vibecoder | quick |
| "architecture" | architect | deep |
| "security" / "auth review" | security-reviewer | standard |
| (no qualifier) | new-joiner | standard |

When intent is ambiguous, default to **new-joiner** persona at **standard** depth — it's the most generally useful.

### 3. Read actual files

**Every file path and line number must be verified.** A tour pointing to the wrong line is worse than no tour.

### 4. Write the tour

Save to `.tours/<persona>-<focus>.tour`.

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://aka.ms/codetour-schema",
  "title": "Descriptive Title — Persona / Goal",
  "description": "Who this is for and what they'll understand after.",
  "ref": "<current-branch-or-commit>",
  "steps": []
}
```

### Step types

| Type | When to use | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Content** | Intro/closing only (max 2) | `{ "title": "Welcome", "description": "..." }` |
| **Directory** | Orient to a module | `{ "directory": "src/services", "title": "..." }` |
| **File + line** | The workhorse | `{ "file": "src/auth.ts", "line": 42, "title": "..." }` |
| **Selection** | Highlight a code block | `{ "file": "...", "selection": {...}, "title": "..." }` |
| **Pattern** | Regex match (volatile files) | `{ "file": "...", "pattern": "class App", "title": "..." }` |
| **URI** | Link to PR, issue, doc | `{ "uri": "https://...", "title": "..." }` |

### Step count

| Depth | Steps | Use for |
|-------|-------|---------|
| Quick | 5-8 | Vibecoder, fast exploration |
| Standard | 9-13 | Most personas |
| Deep | 14-18 | Architect, RCA |

### Writing descriptions — SMIG formula

- **S — Situation**: What is the reader looking at?
- **M — Mechanism**: How does this code work?
- **I — Implication**: Why does this matter for this persona?
- **G — Gotcha**: What would a smart person get wrong?

### 5. Validate

- [ ] Every `file` path relative to repo root (no leading `/` or `./`)
- [ ] Every `file` confirmed to exist
- [ ] Every `line` verified by reading the file
- [ ] First step has `file` or `directory` anchor
- [ ] At most 2 content-only steps
- [ ] `nextTour` matches another tour's `title` exactly if set

## Personas

| Persona | Goal | Must cover |
|---------|------|------------|
| **Vibecoder** | Get the vibe fast | Entry point, main modules. Max 8 steps. |
| **New joiner** | Structured ramp-up | Directories, setup, business context |
| **Bug fixe