oss-learn-stack

Learn Stack

Don't learn a framework from docs alone. learn it from how THIS repo uses it. This skill finds the patterns, explains the concepts, and points to real examples in the codebase you're about to contribute to.

Purpose

oss-prep-to-contribute does a knowledge check for one issue. This skill is broader: when a repo uses tech you don't know (unfamiliar language, framework, testing tool, build system, architecture pattern), this skill teaches those concepts using the repo itself as the textbook. Faster than reading generic docs because every example is from the actual codebase you'll contribute to.

Prerequisites

• A repo cloned locally
• At least a basic understanding of the project (from oss-explore-repo or your own exploration)
• An honest assessment of what you don't know

Process

1. Identify the stack

Inventory the technologies used:

# Dependencies
cat package.json 2>/dev/null | jq '.dependencies, .devDependencies' 2>/dev/null
(cat requirements.txt 2>/dev/null || cat pyproject.toml 2>/dev/null) | head -40
cat go.mod 2>/dev/null | head -20
cat Cargo.toml 2>/dev/null | head -30

# Build and CI tools
ls .github/workflows/ 2>/dev/null
cat Makefile 2>/dev/null | head -20

# Testing
ls test/ tests/ __tests__/ spec/ 2>/dev/null
grep -l "jest\|pytest\|mocha\|vitest\|cargo test\|go test" * .* 2>/dev/null

# Linting and formatting
cat .eslintrc* .prettierrc* pyproject.toml tox.ini setup.cfg 2>/dev/null | head -30

Present the full stack categorized:

## Stack: {repo}

| Category | Technology |
|----------|-----------|
| Language | {e.g., TypeScript 5.x} |
| Framework | {e.g., Express.js} |
| Testing | {e.g., Vitest + Testing Library} |
| Build | {e.g., Vite} |
| CI | {e.g., GitHub Actions} |
| Linting | {e.g., ESLint + Prettier} |
| Database | {e.g., PostgreSQL via Prisma} |
| Other | {anything else notable} |

2. Find the user's gaps

Ask targeted questions:

"Here's the stack this repo uses. For each technology, tell me your comfort level:

• Comfortable: used it in a project
• Familiar: read about it, haven't used it
• Unknown: never used it or only vaguely know what it is

Be honest. I'll focus teaching on the gaps. No judgment."