# Symbol Context Analyzer Implementation Plan
## Overview
The Symbol Context Analyzer is a comprehensive tool that provides detailed context about any symbol in a C++ codebase. It aggregates information from multiple LSP calls to give AI agents a complete picture of a symbol's definition, usage, relationships, and semantic meaning.
## Feature Breakdown
### Input Schema
```json
{
"tool": "analyze_symbol_context",
"arguments": {
"symbol": "string",
"location": {
"file_uri": "string",
"position": {
"line": "number",
"character": "number"
}
}?,
"include_usage_patterns": "boolean?",
"max_usage_examples": "number?",
"include_inheritance": "boolean?"
}
}
```
### Output Schema
```json
{
"symbol": {
"name": "string",
"kind": "class|function|variable|namespace|...",
"fully_qualified_name": "string",
"declaration": {
"file": "string",
"range": "Range",
"text": "string"
},
"definition": {
"file": "string",
"range": "Range",
"text": "string"
}?,
"type_info": {
"type": "string",
"is_template": "boolean",
"template_parameters": ["string"]?,
"underlying_type": "string?"
},
"documentation": "string?",
"visibility": "public|private|protected",
"storage_class": "static|extern|auto|...",
"relationships": {
"base_classes": ["string"]?,
"derived_classes": ["string"]?,
"overrides": ["string"]?,
"overridden_by": ["string"]?,
"called_by": ["string"]?,
"calls": ["string"]?,
"used_by_count": "number"
},
"usage_patterns": [
{
"file": "string",
"line": "number",
"context": "string",
"pattern_type": "call|instantiation|reference|..."
}
]?
}
}
```
## Incremental Development Plan
### Increment 1: Basic Symbol Info Tool with Smart Search
**User Value**: Get basic symbol information using clangd's optimized search capabilities
**Deliverable**: Working MCP tool that leverages clangd's native symbol search for fast results
**What users get**:
- Symbol name and kind (function, class, variable, etc.) via clangd's classification
- Type information from hover with clangd's rich type analysis
- Documentation from clangd's hover responses
- File location with clangd's precise source mapping
- Fast symbol lookup using clangd's optimized indexing
**Implementation**:
1. Leverage clangd's workspace/symbol for fast symbol location using the required `symbol` parameter
2. Use optional `location` for disambiguation when multiple symbols have the same name
3. Use clangd's hover for rich symbol information once symbol is located
4. Build on existing `GetSymbolsTool` infrastructure and integrate with symbol search
5. Optimize symbol lookup using qualified names and workspace search
**Files to create/modify**:
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `BasicSymbolInfo`, `SymbolPosition` structs
- `src/lsp/client.rs` - Ensure `textDocument/hover` optimization
- `src/tools.rs` - Add `AnalyzeSymbolContextTool`
- `src/handler.rs` - Register the tool
### Increment 2: Symbol Location Discovery
**User Value**: Find where symbols are defined and declared
**Deliverable**: Enhanced tool that shows symbol definitions and declarations
**What users get**:
- Definition location (where symbol is implemented)
- Declaration location (where symbol is declared)
- Distinction between declaration and definition
- Multiple definitions for templates/overloads
**Implementation**:
1. Extend data structures for locations
2. Add LSP definition/declaration requests
3. Enhance existing tool to include location info
4. Handle multiple results
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `SymbolLocation`, `SymbolDefinition`
- `src/lsp/client.rs` - Add `textDocument/definition`, `textDocument/declaration`
- `src/tools.rs` - Enhance tool with location data
### Increment 3: Reference Counting
**User Value**: See how popular/widely used a symbol is
**Deliverable**: Tool shows usage statistics for symbols
**What users get**:
- Total count of references to the symbol
- Quick assessment of symbol importance
- Basic usage validation (is this symbol actually used?)
**Implementation**:
1. Add LSP references request
2. Count and categorize references
3. Add usage statistics to output
4. Simple reference filtering
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/client.rs` - Add `textDocument/references`
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `UsageStatistics`
- `src/tools.rs` - Include reference counting
### Increment 4: Usage Examples
**User Value**: See concrete examples of how symbols are used
**Deliverable**: Tool provides actual code examples showing symbol usage
**What users get**:
- Real code snippets showing symbol usage
- Context around each usage
- Configurable number of examples
- Different types of usage (call sites, instantiations, etc.)
**Implementation**:
1. Collect references with context
2. Extract code snippets around usage
3. Classify usage types (basic classification)
4. Sample and limit examples
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `UsageExample`, `UsageContext`
- `src/tools.rs` - Add usage example collection
- Enhance reference processing for context extraction
### Increment 5: Class Hierarchy Information
**User Value**: Understand inheritance relationships for classes
**Deliverable**: Tool shows inheritance hierarchies and polymorphic relationships
**What users get**:
- Base classes and inheritance chain
- Derived classes using this symbol
- Interface implementations
- Virtual function overrides
**Implementation**:
1. Add LSP type hierarchy requests
2. Process inheritance information
3. Add hierarchy data to output
4. Handle complex inheritance scenarios
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/client.rs` - Add `typeHierarchy/supertypes`, `typeHierarchy/subtypes`
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `InheritanceInfo`
- `src/tools.rs` - Include hierarchy analysis
### Increment 6: Call Relationships
**User Value**: Understand function call relationships and dependencies
**Deliverable**: Tool shows what functions call this symbol and what it calls
**What users get**:
- Functions that call this symbol (incoming calls)
- Functions that this symbol calls (outgoing calls)
- Call chain analysis
- Dependency mapping
**Implementation**:
1. Add LSP call hierarchy requests
2. Process call relationship data
3. Add call information to output
4. Handle recursive and complex call patterns
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/client.rs` - Add `callHierarchy/incomingCalls`, `callHierarchy/outgoingCalls`
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `CallRelationships`
- `src/tools.rs` - Include call analysis
### Increment 7: Advanced Pattern Recognition
**User Value**: Smart classification of how symbols are used (patterns, anti-patterns)
**Deliverable**: Tool provides intelligent insights about symbol usage patterns
**What users get**:
- Pattern classification (factory usage, RAII, etc.)
- Usage quality assessment
- Potential issues or improvements
- Best practice alignment
**Implementation**:
1. Advanced usage pattern analysis
2. Heuristic-based pattern recognition
3. Quality metrics and suggestions
4. Configurable analysis depth
**Files to modify**:
- `src/lsp/symbol_analyzer.rs` - Create pattern analysis module
- `src/lsp/types.rs` - Add `UsagePattern`, `QualityMetrics`
- `src/tools.rs` - Include pattern analysis
### Increment 8: Performance and Robustness
**User Value**: Fast, reliable tool that works in large codebases
**Deliverable**: Production-quality tool with comprehensive error handling
**What users get**:
- Fast analysis even in large projects
- Graceful handling of LSP failures
- Helpful error messages
- Configurable timeouts and limits
**Implementation**:
1. Performance optimization (caching, concurrent requests)
2. Comprehensive error handling
3. Timeout and retry logic
4. Resource management
**Files to modify**:
- All existing files - Add error handling and performance optimizations
- `src/lsp/error.rs` - Comprehensive error types
- Add caching and optimization logic
### Increment 9: Testing and Documentation
**User Value**: Reliable tool with clear usage guidance
**Deliverable**: Well-tested tool with comprehensive documentation
**What users get**:
- Confidence in tool reliability
- Clear usage examples and guidance
- Troubleshooting help
- Performance characteristics documentation
**Implementation**:
1. Comprehensive test suite
2. Usage documentation and examples
3. Performance benchmarks
4. Troubleshooting guides
**Files to create**:
- `tests/symbol_analysis_test.rs` - Integration tests
- `docs/symbol_analyzer_guide.md` - User documentation
- Example projects for testing
## Development Strategy
Each increment delivers immediate user value and can be shipped independently. Users get progressively more powerful symbol analysis capabilities with each release.
### Value Progression:
1. **Basic Info** → Users can quickly understand any symbol
2. **Location Discovery** → Users can navigate to symbol definitions
3. **Popularity** → Users can assess symbol importance
4. **Examples** → Users see real usage patterns
5. **Inheritance** → Users understand class relationships
6. **Call Graph** → Users trace function dependencies
7. **Smart Analysis** → Users get intelligent insights
8. **Production Ready** → Users get reliable, fast tool
9. **Well Documented** → Users have complete guidance
### Release Strategy:
- Each increment can be released as a minor version
- Users benefit immediately from each improvement
- No need to wait for complete feature set
- Feedback can guide later increments
## Technical Considerations
### Performance Optimizations
- Use concurrent LSP calls where possible to reduce latency
- Implement caching for expensive operations (type hierarchy, etc.)
- Limit usage pattern collection to avoid overwhelming responses
- Use streaming responses for large result sets
### Error Handling Strategy
- Fail gracefully when optional LSP features are not available
- Provide partial results when some LSP calls fail
- Clear error messages with actionable guidance
- Fallback to simpler analysis when advanced features fail
### LSP Compatibility
- Test with clangd (primary target)
- Consider compatibility with other C++ LSP servers
- Handle LSP server restarts and connection issues
- Graceful degradation when LSP features are not supported
### Memory and Resource Management
- Efficient handling of large symbol hierarchies
- Bounded memory usage for usage pattern collection
- Proper cleanup of LSP resources
- Monitoring and alerting for resource usage
## Dependencies
### New Dependencies (if needed)
- None expected - should work with existing LSP infrastructure
### LSP Server Requirements
- clangd with full feature support
- Proper compilation database (compile_commands.json)
- Index database for fast symbol lookup
## Success Criteria
1. **Functionality**: Tool successfully analyzes symbols and returns comprehensive context
2. **Performance**: Analysis completes within 5 seconds for typical symbols
3. **Robustness**: Handles errors gracefully and provides meaningful feedback
4. **Coverage**: Works with classes, functions, variables, namespaces, and templates
5. **Integration**: Seamlessly integrates with existing MCP tool framework
## Future Enhancements
1. **Semantic Analysis**: Add AI-powered semantic understanding of symbol purpose
2. **Cross-Reference Maps**: Generate visual representations of symbol relationships
3. **Code Quality Metrics**: Include complexity and maintainability metrics
4. **Historical Analysis**: Track symbol usage changes over time
5. **Refactoring Suggestions**: Provide automated refactoring recommendations
## Usage Examples
### Basic Symbol Analysis
```json
{
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "analyze_symbol_context",
"arguments": {
"symbol": "MyClass::process"
}
}
}
```
### Disambiguating Overloaded Functions
```json
{
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "analyze_symbol_context",
"arguments": {
"symbol": "process",
"location": {
"file_uri": "file:///path/to/src/myfile.cpp",
"position": {
"line": 42,
"character": 15
}
}
}
}
}
```
### Comprehensive Analysis with Usage Patterns
```json
{
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "analyze_symbol_context",
"arguments": {
"symbol": "std::vector",
"include_usage_patterns": true,
"max_usage_examples": 10,
"include_inheritance": true
}
}
}
```
### Simple Function Analysis
```json
{
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "analyze_symbol_context",
"arguments": {
"symbol": "::main"
}
}
}
```
## Symbol Resolution Strategy
The tool resolves symbols using this priority order:
1. **Qualified Name Match**: If `symbol` contains `::`, search for exact qualified name match
2. **Workspace Search**: Use `workspace/symbol` to find all symbols matching the name
3. **Location Disambiguation**: If `location` is provided and multiple matches exist, filter by proximity to location
4. **Best Match Selection**: Choose the most relevant match based on:
- Exact name match over partial match
- Project symbols over external symbols (when applicable)
- Definition over declaration when both exist
### Handling Multiple Matches
- **Single Match**: Proceed with analysis
- **Multiple Matches**:
- If `location` provided: Select closest match
- If no `location`: Return analysis for the first/best match with metadata about other matches
- **No Matches**: Return error with suggestions for similar symbol names