codedb MCP Server: Setup for Claude Code, Cursor and Other Apps

• Shows the whole project's file tree

  Lists the project's files with language, line counts and symbol counts, collapsing huge folders. Best used once to get oriented in an unfamiliar codebase.

  Try: “Show me the file tree of this project.”

  Files · codedb_tree

• Lists the functions and types in one file

  Returns the symbols in a file with line numbers, far smaller than reading the file. A skeleton option shows just each declaration.

  Try: “Outline src/server.ts.”

  Files · codedb_outline

• Finds where something is defined

  Looks up where a function, struct or class is defined across the project.

  Try: “Where is AgentRegistry defined?”

  Files · codedb_symbol

• Searches code text

  Runs a ranked text search over the project index, with regex and scoping options, using far fewer tokens than raw grep output.

  Try: “Search for handleAuth in this project.”

  Files · codedb_search

• Looks up one exact identifier

  Returns every file and line where one exact word appears, using a prebuilt word index.

  Try: “Where does the word Store appear?”

  Files · codedb_word

• Lists every place a symbol is called

  Finds all call sites of a function or symbol in one step.

  Try: “Who calls parseConfig?”

  Files · codedb_callers

• Finds the call chain between two symbols

  Returns the shortest resolved chain of calls that leads from one symbol to another.

  Try: “How does main reach handleRequest?”

  Files · codedb_callpath

• Shows a symbol and who uses it

  Returns a symbol's definition body together with every call site in one answer.

  Try: “Explain parseConfig and show its callers.”

  Files · codedb_explain

• Collects code for a task you describe

  Takes a plain-language task and returns one compact block of definitions, relevant code, related files and snippets. The README says it can use a remote embedding of your task text unless you pass semantic=local.

  Try: “Gather the code I need to add rate limiting to the API.”

  Files · codedb_context

• Shows recently changed files

  Lists the files changed most recently, newest first, to see where work is happening.

  Try: “What files changed most recently?”

  Files · codedb_hot

• Shows what imports what

  Returns the dependency graph for a file: who imports it by default, or what it imports. Useful for checking the reach of a change.

  Try: “Which files import src/store.ts?”

  Files · codedb_deps

• Reads a file or a line range

  Returns file contents, optionally limited to a line range, with a hash so unchanged files can be skipped.

  Try: “Read lines 40 to 90 of src/main.zig.”

  Files · codedb_read

• Lists files changed since a point

  Returns the files changed since a sequence number you got from the status tool.

  Try: “What changed since sequence 120?”

  Files · codedb_changes

• Shows the index state

  Reports file count, current sequence number and scan phase of the index.

  Try: “Is the index up to date?”

  Read · codedb_status

• Dumps the whole index as JSON

  Returns a very large JSON of the entire index, meant for caching rather than everyday exploration.

  Try: “Export the full index snapshot.”

  Files · codedb_snapshot

• Lists indexed projects on this machine

  Shows every project codedb has indexed locally, with path and whether a snapshot exists.

  Try: “Which projects are indexed?”

  Files · codedb_projects

• Indexes a folder and saves a snapshot

  Rebuilds the index for a local folder and writes a codedb.snapshot file there, refreshing a running daemon for that project.

  Try: “Index /Users/me/myproject.”

  Write · codedb_index

• Finds files by a fuzzy name

  Matches a typo-tolerant name against indexed file paths. It searches file names only, not file contents.

  Try: “Find the file named routs.”

  Files · codedb_find

• Chains several lookups in one request

  Runs a pipeline of find, search, filter, deps, outline, read, sort and limit steps, each feeding the next.

  Try: “Find test files that import store.zig and outline them.”

  Files · codedb_query

• Matches file paths with a pattern

  Returns indexed paths matching a glob such as src/**/*.zig, sorted alphabetically.

  Try: “List all Markdown files under docs.”

  Files · codedb_glob

• Lists a folder's contents

  Shows one folder's direct children, folders first, with language and line counts.

  Try: “List the src directory.”

  Files · codedb_ls

• Lists a folder live from disk

  Lists a folder straight from the file system, honoring .gitignore, so it works without an index.

  Try: “List the contents of the repo root.”

  Files · codedb_list_dir

Watch out for

• Usage counts are sent by default

  The README says anonymous telemetry is on by default and syncs tool-call counts, timing and startup stats to the project's endpoint, not source code or paths. Set CODEDB_NO_TELEMETRY=1 or pass --no-telemetry to turn it off. github.com

• codedb_context may send your task text out

  The README says it can use a remote embedding of the task text. Pass semantic=local to keep that call on your device. github.com

• It downloads a program when you install

  The npm package fetches a native binary from GitHub Releases on install and checks its SHA256 hash against the release's checksums file. github.com

• codedb_index writes a snapshot file

  It saves codedb.snapshot in the folder you index. Add it to .gitignore if you do not want to commit it. github.com

• Tool descriptions push the assistant to use it first

  Several tool descriptions say things like reach for this FIRST or replaces grep. That nudges the assistant away from its own search tools. github.com

• The install script edits your client configs

  The shell installer adds codedb, and by default the hosted DeepWiki server, to every supported client it finds. Set CODEDB_INSTALL_DEEPWIKI=0 to skip DeepWiki. github.com

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