| name | CSharpener |
| description | Use when you need to find unused methods in a C# solution, trace who calls a method, assess removal impact before refactoring, or generate call-graph documentation/diagrams for C# code. |
CSharpener - C# Code Analysis
Roslyn-based static analysis for C# solutions: call graphs, unused-code detection, impact analysis, HTML docs, Graphviz export.
Executable
Primary: Y:/CSharpDLLs/CSharpener/CSharpener.exe — use forward slashes for the exe path in bash; the --solution argument takes a normal Windows path. Don't search for the executable, use this path directly.
Fallback if Y: is unavailable — build from https://github.com/lawless-m/CSharpener with dotnet build -c Release; output is CSharpCallGraphAnalyzer\bin\Release\net9.0\win-x64\csharp-analyzer.exe.
Commands
"Y:/CSharpDLLs/CSharpener/CSharpener.exe" <command> --solution "<path>" --format console
| Command | Purpose | Extra options |
|---|
analyze | Full analysis: call graph, unused methods, stats | --include-call-graph (default true), --exclude-namespace |
unused | Find unused methods with confidence levels | --exclude-namespace |
callers | Who calls a method | --method, -m (partial name OK, case-insensitive) |
dependencies | What a method calls | --method, -m |
impact | What breaks if a method is removed (direct/transitive callers, affected entry points) | --method, -m |
document | HTML docs with cross-referenced code and call graphs | --output, -o (required), --include-unused, --include-tests |
Common options: --solution, -s (required, .sln or .csproj, absolute path), --format, -f (json default; console, dot/graphviz, html), --output, -o.
Confidence levels (unused)
| Level | Meaning |
|---|
| High | Private methods never called — safe to remove |
| Medium | Internal methods not called within assembly — review |
| Low | Public methods — might be external API, caution |
Environment notes
- Cache lives in
.csharpener-cache/ in the solution directory. First run is slow; subsequent runs fast. Delete the cache to force a refresh; it invalidates on file changes.
- For large solutions, use
--exclude-namespace "*.Tests,*.Test" or analyze individual projects.
- Reflection usage causes false positives in unused detection (the tool warns). DI registration patterns (AddTransient, AddScoped, etc.) are recognized.
- If "no methods found", run
dotnet build first — the solution may not compile.
