openspec-explore

Codebase awareness during requirements exploration means reading existing files, searching code, and referencing documents to ground design discussions. It ensures conversations about needs and alternative paths stay connected to the actual technical context without implementing any code changes.

Yes, you can use design thinking to surface risks and open questions during codebase reviews. By reading context and following logical threads, the process identifies uncertainties and maps alternative paths while strictly avoiding direct code implementation.

No, this requirements exploration approach does not generate code artifacts. It maintains strict boundaries by avoiding code implementation entirely, offering only non-code artifacts like diagrams and questions when asked to map the problem space.

You need a thinking partner for codebase exploration instead of a coding assistant when you want to investigate problems, surface assumptions, and clarify requirements. It provides adaptive guidance to map options rather than generating or modifying code directly.