Day 1: Foundation & Exploration
Theme: Understanding Legacy Codebases
Day 1 focuses on using Claude Code to rapidly understand and document unfamiliar codebases. By the end of the day, you'll be able to navigate any legacy system with confidence.
Labs Overview
| Lab | Title | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Codebase Exploration | 1 hour | Navigate unfamiliar codebases using progressive exploration |
| 1.3 | Building the Project Brain | 30 min | Create CLAUDE.md files for project-specific context |
| 1.5 | Connecting the Dots | 1 hour | Map dependencies and assess change risk |
| 1.6 | The Scribe | 40 min | Generate and validate documentation |
| 1.7 | Capstone: Full Reconnaissance | 1 hour | Integration lab combining all Day 1 skills |
Sample Project
All Day 1 labs (except the capstone) use the node-express-mongoose-demo project:
bash
cd sample-projects/node-express-mongoose-demoThe capstone (Lab 1.7) uses hackathon-starter for a fresh challenge.
Prerequisites
- Claude Code installed and authenticated
- Sample projects cloned via
./sample-projects/setup.sh
Learning Path
Lab 1.2 → Lab 1.3 → Lab 1.5 → Lab 1.6 → Lab 1.7 (Capstone)Recommended Approach
Complete labs in order. Each builds on skills from the previous one.