---
name: lsp-cli
description: >-
  MANDATORY for Chromium C/C++ semantic analysis and compiler diagnostics.
  Activate before exact symbol, definition, caller, implementation,
  inheritance, or call-stack analysis, and after every C/C++ edit. Diagnostics
  for every modified C/C++ file must report zero errors before a build; report
  and stop when the CLI, session, or diagnostics are unavailable.
---

# lsp-cli (C++ MCP CLI)

lsp-cli.py is a lightweight CLI front-end to the C++ MCP server. It connects
using the session cached in `.lsp-cli.json`. Use it for precise, index-backed
C++ symbol lookup in the large Chromium tree.

## Hard stops

Before semantic analysis or diagnostics, locate `lsp-cli.py` at the project
root or in this skill directory. If it is missing, report that exact condition
and STOP.

The cached `.lsp-cli.json` session and its endpoint must be usable. If the
file is missing, its endpoint is unavailable, or a CLI command exits non-zero,
report the command and complete failure output, then STOP. Do not guess an
endpoint, try an alternate endpoint, or create or replace a session cache
without a new user instruction.

## Required diagnostic gate

After every C/C++ source or header edit, run diagnostics for every modified
file before starting a build:

```sh
./lsp-cli.py show-diagnostics path/to/modified/file1.cc path/to/modified/file2.h
```

Report all errors and warnings. Zero errors is required to proceed to a build.
If diagnostics report any error, cannot cover every modified file, or fail to
run, report the result and STOP. Do not build, retry, or substitute another
compiler-diagnostic command until the user gives a new instruction.

## How to get more information
```sh
./lsp-cli.py --help # to get available arguments and examples
./lsp-cli.py search-symbols --help #Help on how to search for C++ symbols in the codebase
./lsp-cli.py search-class --help #Help on how to search for C++ classes/structs/interfaces (kinds: Class, Struct, Interface)
./lsp-cli.py search-method --help #Help on how to search for C++ methods/functions/constructors (kinds: Method, Function, Constructor)
./lsp-cli.py analyze-symbol --help #Help on how to perform comprehensive analysis of a C++ symbol
./lsp-cli.py get-project-details --help #Help on how to get comprehensive project analysis including build configurations and global compilation database
./lsp-cli.py show-diagnostics --help #Help on how to show clangd diagnostics (errors/warnings/notes) for a source file
```
`--build-directory` should be inherited from running server (no need to specify explicitly in normal usage)

### Possible CLI locations

- Project root
- skill directory

## Why use lsp-cli.py

The clangd index resolves qualified names and overloads reliably for the active
build configuration, yielding exact definitions and call sites.