aide_discover
Scan .aide spec files to understand project architecture and intent lineage before reading code, providing progressive disclosure of strategy, research, and implementation context.
Instructions
Scan for .aide spec files in this project. Returns a tree map of where specs live, following progressive disclosure.
Without a path: returns a lightweight project-wide map — file locations and types only, no content. Use this once to understand the project's spec architecture.
With a path: the response opens with the ancestor chain — the cascading intent lineage from project root down to the target directory, with each ancestor showing its description and alignment status (aligned/misaligned when set). The ancestor chain gives you the full inherited context before you read a single spec body. After the ancestor chain comes the detailed subtree of the target directory — summaries extracted from file content and anomaly warnings. Use this to drill into the area you're working on.
.aide files are progressive disclosure specs that live next to orchestrator code — they contain intent (strategy, implementation contracts, anti-patterns), research (sources, data, patterns), or QA checklists (todo). Read .aide files BEFORE reading code — they are the context layer between folder structure and implementation details.
File types (.aide, intent.aide, research.aide, plan.aide, todo.aide):
.aide — Intent spec (default). Strategy, contracts, anti-patterns.
intent.aide — Same as .aide, used only when research.aide exists in the same folder.
research.aide — Raw research. Sources, data points, pattern synthesis.
plan.aide -- Architect's implementation plan. Checkboxed steps for the implementor.
todo.aide — QA re-alignment document. Captures where implementation drifted from intent.
Never have both .aide and intent.aide in the same folder.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| path | No | Subdirectory to drill into. When provided, the response opens with the ancestor chain — the cascading intent lineage from root to target, each ancestor showing its description and alignment status — followed by the detailed subtree with summaries and warnings. When omitted, returns a shallow project-wide map (locations and types only). |