Navigate and load project living documentation for context from .specweave/docs/internal/. Use when implementing features and needing project context, referencing ADRs for design decisions, or accessing specs and architecture docs. Provides table of contents for all documentation types.
Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.
Are you the author of Living Docs Navigator?
Add the live security badge to your README. It updates with every re-scan.
[](https://www.skillsdirectory.com/skills/aibot88-living-docs-navigator)
---
name: living-docs-navigator
description: Navigate and load project living documentation for context from .specweave/docs/internal/. Use when implementing features and needing project context, referencing ADRs for design decisions, or accessing specs and architecture docs. Provides table of contents for all documentation types.
---
# Living Docs Navigator
Access project knowledge stored in `.specweave/docs/internal/`.
## Quick Navigation
**When you need context**, read relevant files from these locations:
### π Specifications (Features & User Stories)
```
.specweave/docs/internal/specs/
```
- Feature specifications with user stories
- Acceptance criteria
- Implementation history
**Find specs**: `ls .specweave/docs/internal/specs/`
### π Architecture Decisions (ADRs)
```
.specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/
```
- WHY decisions were made
- Trade-offs considered
- Context for design choices
**Find ADRs**: `ls .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/`
### ποΈ System Architecture
```
.specweave/docs/internal/architecture/
```
- High-level design (HLD)
- System diagrams
- Component architecture
**Find architecture docs**: `ls .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/*.md`
### π Operations
```
.specweave/docs/internal/operations/
```
- Runbooks
- SLOs
- Incident procedures
### πΌ Strategy
```
.specweave/docs/internal/strategy/
```
- Business requirements
- Product vision
- PRDs
### π‘οΈ Governance
```
.specweave/docs/internal/governance/
```
- Security policies
- Coding standards
- Compliance docs
---
## How to Use
### Before Implementing a Feature
1. **Check for related specs**:
```bash
grep -ril "keyword" .specweave/docs/internal/specs/
```
2. **Read relevant ADRs**:
```bash
grep -l "topic" .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/*.md
```
3. **Load the context** by reading the files found.
### Before Making Design Decisions
1. **Check existing ADRs** to avoid contradicting past decisions
2. **Read architecture docs** to understand current patterns
3. **Follow established conventions**
### Example Workflow
```
Task: "Implement user authentication"
1. Search for related docs:
grep -ril "auth" .specweave/docs/internal/
2. Found:
- .specweave/docs/internal/specs/backend/us-001-authentication.md
- .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/0001-jwt-vs-sessions.md
- .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/auth-flow.md
3. Read each file for context before implementing.
```
---
## Progressive Disclosure Pattern
This skill follows **progressive disclosure**:
1. **Metadata only** (this SKILL.md) loads initially (~200 tokens)
2. **You search** for relevant docs using grep/ls
3. **You read** only the specific files you need
4. **Result**: Minimal tokens, maximum context
**No RAG needed** - Claude's native file reading is more accurate.
---
## Integration with /sw:do
When executing `/sw:do`:
1. Extract topic keywords from spec.md
2. Search living docs for matches
3. Read relevant ADRs and architecture docs
4. Apply context during implementation
---
## Tips
- **ADRs are critical** - always check before design decisions
- **Specs show history** - see what was already built
- **Use grep liberally** - find docs by keyword, not guessing paths
- **Cross-reference** - related documents link to each other
---
## Stakeholder Views
Living docs serve different audiences. Navigate by role:
### For Business Stakeholders
Quick access to high-level, non-technical documentation:
```
.specweave/docs/internal/
βββ strategy/ # Business context
β βββ executive-summary.md # Project overview for leadership
β βββ feature-dashboard.md # Feature status tracking
β βββ roadmap.md # Product roadmap
β βββ business-impact/ # Per-feature impact statements
βββ operations/ # System health
β βββ health-dashboard.md # Current system status
βββ specs/
βββ _feature-status.md # Active features & completion %
```
**Use case**: Board reports, investor updates, quarterly reviews
### For Technical Leads
Quick access to architecture and decisions:
```bash
# Recent architectural decisions
ls -lt .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/ | head -10
# Search for decisions about specific topics
grep -ril "authentication" .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/adr/
# Find system architecture diagrams
ls .specweave/docs/internal/architecture/*.md
```
**Use case**: Design reviews, tech debt assessment, onboarding
### For Product Managers
Quick access to specifications and progress:
```bash
# Feature specifications
ls .specweave/docs/internal/specs/
# Find features by keyword
grep -ril "checkout" .specweave/docs/internal/specs/
# Check increment status
ls .specweave/increments/*/metadata.json
```
**Use case**: Sprint planning, release notes, stakeholder updates
---
## Executive Summary Generation
Living docs can be transformed into executive-friendly formats:
### Automatic Generation
Use the **stakeholder-docs** skill to generate:
- Executive summaries from technical specs
- Feature status dashboards
- Business impact statements
- Release summaries
```
"Create an executive summary of our current project status"
"Generate a feature status dashboard for Q1"
```
### Manual Navigation
For quick stakeholder context:
1. **Project Overview**: `.specweave/docs/internal/strategy/executive-summary.md`
2. **Feature Status**: `.specweave/docs/internal/strategy/feature-dashboard.md`
3. **Recent Decisions**: Latest 3 ADRs in `architecture/adr/`
---
## Visual Documentation
When documentation needs diagrams or illustrations:
### Architecture Diagrams
Use Mermaid in markdown files:
```markdown
```mermaid
graph TD
A[Client] --> B[API Gateway]
B --> C[Auth Service]
```
```
### AI-Generated Illustrations
Use the `/sw:image-generation` skill for professional visuals:
```
"Generate an architecture diagram illustration for the API docs"
"Create a feature illustration for the living docs"
```
Brand colors: Purple #7c3aed, Light purple #a78bfa
---
## Related Skills
- **stakeholder-docs**: Generate executive-friendly views
- **docs-writer**: Create detailed documentation
- **image-generation**: Add visuals via `/sw:image-generation`
- **docusaurus**: Preview docs as website via `/sw-docs:view`
## Project-Specific Learnings
**Before starting work, check for project-specific learnings:**
```bash
# Check if skill memory exists for this skill
cat .specweave/skill-memories/living-docs-navigator.md 2>/dev/null || echo "No project learnings yet"
```
Project learnings are automatically captured by the reflection system when corrections or patterns are identified during development. These learnings help you understand project-specific conventions and past decisions.