Agent skill
using-lsp-tools
Use when mcp-language-server tools are available and you need semantic code intelligence. Triggers: 'find definition', 'find references', 'who calls this', 'rename symbol', 'type hierarchy', 'go to definition', 'where is this used', 'where is this defined', 'what type is this'. Provides navigation, refactoring, and type analysis via LSP.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/majiayu000/claude-skill-registry/tree/main/skills/other/other/using-lsp-tools
SKILL.md
Using LSP Tools
Invariant Principles
- Semantic > Lexical: LSP understands scope, types, inheritance. Grep sees text.
- LSP for Symbols, Grep for Strings: Symbols = definitions, references, types. Strings = TODOs, comments, literals.
- Verify Before Fallback: Empty LSP result? Check file saved. Then try text-based.
- Atomic Operations Preferred:
rename_symbolhandles all files. Manual Edit misses references.
Reasoning Schema
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
filePath |
Yes | Absolute path to file being analyzed |
line |
Context | 1-indexed line number for position-based queries |
column |
Context | 1-indexed column for position-based queries |
symbolName |
Context | Fully-qualified name for definition/references |
language |
No | Language identifier if ambiguous |
Outputs
| Output | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol locations | Inline | File paths and positions from navigation queries |
| Type information | Inline | Hover/signature data for understanding |
| Refactoring edits | Applied | Direct code modifications from rename/actions |
| Diagnostics | Inline | Errors and warnings for debugging |
Tool Priority Matrix
| Task | LSP Tool | Fallback |
|---|---|---|
| Find definition | definition |
Grep func X|class X|def X |
| Find usages | references |
Grep symbol name |
| Understand symbol | hover |
Read + infer |
| Rename | rename_symbol |
Multi-file Edit (risky) |
| File outline | document_symbols |
Grep definitions |
| Callers | call_hierarchy incoming |
Grep + analyze |
| Callees | call_hierarchy outgoing |
Read function |
| Type hierarchy | type_hierarchy |
Grep extends/implements |
| Workspace search | workspace_symbol_resolve |
Glob + Grep |
| Refactorings | code_actions |
Manual |
| Signature | signature_help |
Hover or read |
| Diagnostics | diagnostics |
Build command |
| Format | format_document |
Formatter CLI |
| Edit by line | edit_file |
Built-in Edit |
Parameters
Required: filePath (absolute), line/column (1-indexed), symbolName (fully-qualified for definition/references).
Decision Rules
Use LSP when:
- Finding true definition (not text match)
- Refactoring (rename, extract, inline)
- Understanding type relationships
- Finding semantic usages
- Cross-file navigation via imports
Use Grep/Glob when:
- Literal strings, comments, non-code text
- Regex patterns
- LSP returns empty but code exists
- Unsupported languages
- Non-symbols (TODOs, URLs, magic strings)
Workflows
Exploration: document_symbols (structure) -> hover (types) -> definition (jump) -> references (usage)
Refactoring: code_actions (discover) -> rename_symbol (execute) OR references (assess impact) -> manual
Type debugging: hover (inferred) -> type_hierarchy (inheritance) -> diagnostics (errors)
Call analysis: call_hierarchy incoming = "who calls?" | outgoing = "what calls?"
Anti-Patterns
Fallback Protocol
- LSP error/empty -> Check file saved (LSP reads disk)
- Try table fallback
- Persistent failure -> Feature unsupported by server
Self-Check
Before completing:
- Used semantic LSP tool for symbol-based queries (not text search)
- Verified file saved if LSP returned empty/unexpected results
- Applied atomic refactoring operations where available
- Documented fallback rationale if LSP bypassed
If ANY unchecked: STOP and reconsider approach.
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