lsp-local-symbols

name	lsp-local-symbols
description	Fast file-scoped symbol analysis — find all usages of a symbol within the current file, list all symbols defined in the file, and get type info at a position. Use when you need local-scope analysis without a workspace-wide search.
argument-hint	[symbol-name] in [file-path]
user-invocable	true
allowed-tools	mcp__lsp__open_document mcp__lsp__list_symbols mcp__lsp__inspect_symbol mcp__lsp__get_document_highlights
license	MIT
compatibility	Requires the agent-lsp MCP server (github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp)
metadata	{"required-capabilities":"documentSymbolProvider","optional-capabilities":"documentHighlightProvider hoverProvider"}

Requires the agent-lsp MCP server.

lsp-local-symbols

File-scoped symbol analysis using the language server index. Faster than workspace-wide search for questions about a single file: what symbols are defined here, where is this symbol used within the file, and what type does it have.

Read-only — does not modify any files.

When to use

• "Where is x used in this file?" — use get_document_highlights
• "What functions and types are defined in this file?" — use list_symbols
• "What type does this symbol have?" — use inspect_symbol
• Reviewing a file before editing — get the full symbol map first
• Local refactor scoping — confirm a symbol is only used in one place before inlining it

Use /lsp-impact instead when you need workspace-wide callers and cross-file references. Use /lsp-dead-code when auditing exported symbols for zero callers.

When NOT to use

get_document_highlights is file-scoped by design — it only finds usages within the open file. If a symbol is used across multiple files, this skill will not find those. Use find_references (via /lsp-impact) for cross-file analysis.

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Workflow

Step 1 — Open the file

Open the file so the language server tracks it:

mcp__lsp__open_document
  file_path: "/abs/path/to/file.go"
  language_id: "go"              # go, typescript, python, rust, etc.

Step 2 — List all symbols in the file

Get the full symbol tree for the file:

mcp__lsp__list_symbols
  file_path: "/abs/path/to/file.go"

This returns all functions, types, variables, constants, and methods defined in the file — including nested symbols (methods on types, fields in structs).

Use this to:

• Understand the file's structure before editing
• Find the exact position of a named symbol
• See what a file exposes before reading it in full

Reading the output: Each symbol has a range (full body including braces) and a selectionRange (just the name). Coordinates are 1-based. Use selectionRange.start.line and selectionRange.start.character as inputs to get_document_highlights and inspect_symbol.