ctx map

Generate a token-budgeted map of the codebase for LLM session bootstrap.

Synopsis

ctx map [OPTIONS]

Description

The map command condenses the index into a compact structural overview - modules, key symbols, and their relationships - that fits a fixed token budget. It is designed to be the first thing an AI assistant reads in a session: enough orientation to navigate the codebase without pasting whole files.

Prerequisites

ctx index

Options

Option	Description	Default
--budget <N>	Maximum tokens in the map	2000
--focus <PATH>	Zoom the map on a path or module (more detail there, less elsewhere)	none
--format <FMT>	Output format: text, markdown, or json	text

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success (informational command)
2	Operational error (missing index)

Examples

# Compact overview for a session start hook
ctx map --budget 2000

# Zoom on one subsystem
ctx map --focus src/parser --budget 4000

# Markdown for pasting into a PR description or issue
ctx map --format markdown

Caveats

• The map summarizes what the index knows: reindex after large changes, or the map lags the code.
• Tight budgets drop detail deterministically (least-connected symbols first); raise --budget if a module you need is missing.

See Also

• ctx smart - task-driven file selection (map is task-agnostic orientation)
• Quality Gates - using ctx map in a SessionStart hook