This Claude Code plugin addresses the challenge of understanding and documenting large codebases by leveraging parallel AI subagents. It targets developers and researchers using Claude Code who need a comprehensive, automated way to generate architecture maps and documentation, significantly reducing manual effort and improving code comprehension.

How It Works

Cartographer orchestrates multiple Claude Sonnet subagents to analyze a codebase concurrently. It begins by scanning the file tree, respecting .gitignore, and estimating token counts. Work is then strategically divided among the subagents based on token budgets. Each subagent analyzes its assigned portion, and their findings are synthesized into a unified, detailed codebase map, offering an advantage in processing large volumes of code efficiently.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Installation:
  1. Add marketplace: /plugin marketplace add kingbootoshi/cartographer
  2. Install plugin: /plugin install cartographer
  3. Restart Claude Code.
  4. Usage: /cartographer or "map this codebase".
• Prerequisites: tiktoken Python library (pip install tiktoken).
• Resource Footprint: Can consume significant Claude API tokens depending on codebase size. An option exists to use cheaper Haiku subagents, though accuracy may be reduced.

Highlighted Details

• Generates docs/CODEBASE_MAP.md detailing architecture, file purposes, dependencies, data flows, and navigation.
• Updates CLAUDE.md with a summary linking to the generated map.
• Supports an update mode that analyzes git history, re-analyzes only changed modules, and merges updates into existing documentation.

Maintenance & Community

No specific details regarding contributors, sponsorships, or community channels were provided in the README snippet.

Licensing & Compatibility

• License: MIT.
• Compatibility: The MIT license permits commercial use and integration with closed-source projects.

Limitations & Caveats

The primary caveat is the potential for high Claude API token consumption, especially with large codebases when using the default Sonnet subagents. While Haiku subagents offer a cost-saving alternative, they may compromise accuracy on complex code. The tool is dependent on the Claude Code plugin environment.