| name | sempkg |
| description | Use sempkg MCP tools to research packages and dependencies with version-accurate semantic indexes. Use this skill when asked to look up API symbols, understand how a function is used or what it calls, check the downstream impact of changing a symbol, read exact source implementations, or answer questions about a specific installed library version without risking hallucinated or outdated answers.
|
sempkg Code Research Skill
This skill gives you access to version-pinned semantic indexes for installed
packages via the sempkg MCP server. The indexes reflect the exact dependency
versions declared in sempkg.toml — not generic online documentation that may
describe a different version.
Never hallucinate API signatures, parameter names, or behaviour. If a symbol
is not found in the index, say so clearly and suggest a refined search.
Step 1 — Discover available packages
Always start with list_packages to see what is indexed. The output shows:
- Package or bundle name and version
- Whether a CodeGraph symbol index is present (
[indexed])
- Whether a LanceDB docs index is present (
+lance)
- Whether a source-code body index is present (
+code)
Step 2 — Choose the right tool
| Question type | Tool(s) to use |
|---|
| Broad / mixed question (troubleshooting, migration, architecture) | get_context then search_docs if +lance present |
"What does symbol X do / who calls it?" | search_symbols → get_callers |
"What does function X depend on?" | get_callees |
"What breaks if I change X?" | get_impact |
| "How do I accomplish [task] in code?" | get_context (natural language) |
| "What files are tracked in this package?" | list_files |
| "How does [concept] work in this library?" | search_docs (requires +lance) |
| "Show me the implementation of a symbol I already found" | read_code(file, line) or read_symbol(name) (requires +code) |
| "Find a symbol I don't know the exact name of" | search_code (requires +code) |
Step 3 — Symbol search tips
- Pass a short keyword to
search_symbols, not a full sentence.
- Narrow with the
kind parameter (function, class, method, variable,
struct, enum, trait) when results are too broad.
- Increase
limit beyond the default 20 if a common name returns too many hits.
Step 4 — Reading exact source code
When search_symbols, get_callers, get_callees, or get_impact return a
result that includes a file path and line number, use that information directly
to retrieve the implementation — do not do a secondary keyword search:
read_code(package, file, line) — preferred. Pass the file path and any
line number within the symbol (1-based). Returns the tightest enclosing symbol
body at that location (e.g. the specific method, not the whole class).
Requires +code.read_symbol(package, symbol) — alternative when you have the symbol name
but no file/line location. Performs an exact name lookup. Requires +code.
Use search_code only when discovering symbols by keyword — not when you
already have a file and line from earlier results.
Step 5 — Call graph exploration
get_callers — all places that call the symbol; useful for understanding
usage patterns and finding integration points.get_callees — everything called by the symbol; useful for tracing
dependencies and side effects.get_impact — transitive downstream impact; call this before proposing a
change to understand the blast radius.
Step 6 — Documentation search
search_docs searches the LanceDB full-text index; best for prose
documentation ("what is the retry policy?", "what are the configuration
options?").- Check
docs_metadata first to confirm the docs index exists and is
non-empty before calling search_docs.
Answer format
- State the package name and version so the user knows the answer is
version-accurate.
- Quote exact symbol names, signatures, and file paths from tool output.
- If a question cannot be answered from the index (symbol not found, docs
index absent), say so explicitly — do not fill gaps with general knowledge
that may not match the installed version.
- When multiple symbols match, list the candidates and ask the user to
clarify rather than picking one arbitrarily.
