The code-index-mcp server is a specialized Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for intelligent code indexing, searching, and analysis that enables AI models to interact with code repositories.
Core Capabilities:
Project Indexing: Recursively scans directories to build a searchable index of code files, automatically ignoring build directories and non-code files
Search Code: Performs intelligent code searches using automatically detected tools (ripgrep, ag, or grep) with options for case sensitivity, context lines, file patterns, and fuzzy matching
Find Files: Locate files matching specific glob patterns within the project
Analyze Files: Generate detailed insights about file structure, including line counts, functions, imports, and complexity metrics
Manage Index: Refresh the project index or clear cached settings
Persistent Storage: Caches indexes for improved performance across sessions
Broad Language Support: Handles various programming languages, web files, database files, and documentation
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Claude Desktop for enhanced code navigation and analysis
Provides access to git repositories, allowing users to clone projects for code indexing and analysis.
Code Index MCP
Intelligent code indexing and analysis for Large Language Models
Transform how AI understands your codebase with advanced search, analysis, and navigation capabilities.
Overview
Code Index MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that bridges the gap between AI models and complex codebases. It provides intelligent indexing, advanced search capabilities, and detailed code analysis to help AI assistants understand and navigate your projects effectively.
Perfect for: Code review, refactoring, documentation generation, debugging assistance, and architectural analysis.
Related MCP server: microCMS MCP Server
Quick Start
๐ Recommended Setup (Most Users)
The easiest way to get started with any MCP-compatible application:
Prerequisites: Python 3.10+ and uv
Add to your MCP configuration (e.g.,
claude_desktop_config.jsonor~/.claude.json):{ "mcpServers": { "code-index": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["code-index-mcp"] } } }Optional: append
--project-path /absolute/path/to/repoto theargsarray so the server initializes with that repository automatically (equivalent to callingset_project_pathafter startup).Restart your application โ
uvxautomatically handles installation and executionStart using (give these prompts to your AI assistant):
Set the project path to /Users/dev/my-react-app Find all TypeScript files in this project Search for "authentication" functions Analyze the main App.tsx fileIf you launch with
Codex CLI Configuration
If you are using Anthropic's Codex CLI, add the server to ~/.codex/config.toml.
On Windows the file lives at C:\Users\<you>\.codex\config.toml:
You can append
--project-path C:/absolute/path/to/repoto theargslist to set the project automatically on startup (same effect as running theset_project_pathtool).
On Windows, uvx needs the standard profile directories to be present.
Keep the environment override in the same block so the MCP starts reliably:
Linux and macOS already expose the required XDG paths and HOME, so you can usually omit the env
table there.
Add overrides only if you run the CLI inside a restricted container.
FastMCP & Discovery Manifests
Run
fastmcp run fastmcp.jsonto launch the server via FastMCP with the correct source entrypoint and dependency metadata. Pass--project-path(or call theset_project_pathtool after startup) so the index boots against the right repository.Serve or copy
.well-known/mcp.jsonto share a standards-compliant MCP manifest. Clients that support the.well-knownconvention (e.g., Claude Desktop, Codex CLI) can import this file directly instead of crafting configs manually.Publish
.well-known/mcp.llmfeed.jsonwhen you want to expose the richer LLM Feed metadata. It references the samecode-indexserver definition plus documentation/source links, which helps registries present descriptions, tags, and capabilities automatically.
When sharing the manifests, remind consumers to supply --project-path (or to call
set_project_path) so the server indexes the intended repository.
Typical Use Cases
Code Review: "Find all places using the old API"
Refactoring Help: "Where is this function called?"
Learning Projects: "Show me the main components of this React project"
Debugging: "Search for all error handling related code"
Key Features
๐ Intelligent Search & Analysis
Dual-Strategy Architecture: Specialized tree-sitter parsing for 7 core languages, fallback strategy for 50+ file types
Direct Tree-sitter Integration: No regex fallbacks for specialized languages - fail fast with clear errors
Advanced Search: Auto-detects and uses the best available tool (ugrep, ripgrep, ag, or grep)
Universal File Support: Comprehensive coverage from advanced AST parsing to basic file indexing
File Analysis: Deep insights into structure, imports, classes, methods, and complexity metrics after running
build_deep_index
๐๏ธ Multi-Language Support
7 Languages with Tree-sitter AST Parsing: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, Go, Objective-C, Zig
50+ File Types with Fallback Strategy: C/C++, Rust, Ruby, PHP, and all other programming languages
Document & Config Files: Markdown, JSON, YAML, XML with appropriate handling
Web Frontend: Vue, React, Svelte, HTML, CSS, SCSS
Java Web & Build: JSP/Tag files (
.jsp,.jspx,.jspf,.tag,.tagx), Grails/GSP (.gsp), Gradle & Groovy builds (.gradle,.groovy),.properties, and Protocol Buffers (.proto)Database: SQL variants, NoSQL, stored procedures, migrations
Configuration: JSON, YAML, XML, Markdown
โก Real-time Monitoring & Auto-refresh
File Watcher: Automatic index updates when files change
Cross-platform: Native OS file system monitoring
Smart Processing: Batches rapid changes to prevent excessive rebuilds
Shallow Index Refresh: Watches file changes and keeps the file list current; run a deep rebuild when you need symbol metadata
โก Performance & Efficiency
Tree-sitter AST Parsing: Native syntax parsing for accurate symbol extraction
Persistent Caching: Stores indexes for lightning-fast subsequent access
Smart Filtering: Intelligent exclusion of build directories and temporary files
Memory Efficient: Optimized for large codebases
Direct Dependencies: No fallback mechanisms - fail fast with clear error messages
Supported File Types
Languages with Specialized Tree-sitter Strategies:
Python (
.py,.pyw) - Full AST analysis with class/method extraction and call trackingJavaScript (
.js,.jsx,.mjs,.cjs) - ES6+ class and function parsing with tree-sitterTypeScript (
.ts,.tsx) - Complete type-aware symbol extraction with interfacesJava (
.java) - Full class hierarchy, method signatures, and call relationshipsGo (
.go) - Struct methods, receiver types, and function analysisObjective-C (
.m,.mm) - Class/instance method distinction with +/- notationZig (
.zig,.zon) - Function and struct parsing with tree-sitter AST
All Other Programming Languages: All other programming languages use the FallbackParsingStrategy which provides basic file indexing and metadata extraction. This includes:
System & Low-Level: C/C++ (
.c,.cpp,.h,.hpp), Rust (.rs)Object-Oriented: C# (
.cs), Kotlin (.kt), Scala (.scala), Swift (.swift)Scripting & Dynamic: Ruby (
.rb), PHP (.php), Shell (.sh,.bash)And 40+ more file types - All handled through the fallback strategy for basic indexing
Frameworks & Libraries:
Vue (
.vue)Svelte (
.svelte)Astro (
.astro)
Styling:
CSS (
.css,.scss,.less,.sass,.stylus,.styl)HTML (
.html)
Templates:
Handlebars (
.hbs,.handlebars)EJS (
.ejs)Pug (
.pug)FreeMarker (
.ftl)Mustache (
.mustache)Liquid (
.liquid)ERB (
.erb)
SQL Variants:
Standard SQL (
.sql,.ddl,.dml)Database-specific (
.mysql,.postgresql,.psql,.sqlite,.mssql,.oracle,.ora,.db2)
Database Objects:
Procedures & Functions (
.proc,.procedure,.func,.function)Views & Triggers (
.view,.trigger,.index)
Migration & Tools:
Migration files (
.migration,.seed,.fixture,.schema)Tool-specific (
.liquibase,.flyway)
NoSQL & Modern:
Graph & Query (
.cql,.cypher,.sparql,.gql)
Markdown (
.md,.mdx)Configuration (
.json,.xml,.yml,.yaml,.properties)
๐ ๏ธ Development Setup
For contributing or local development:
Clone and install:
git clone https://github.com/johnhuang316/code-index-mcp.git cd code-index-mcp uv syncConfigure for local development:
{ "mcpServers": { "code-index": { "command": "uv", "args": ["run", "code-index-mcp"] } } }Debug with MCP Inspector:
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv run code-index-mcp
If you prefer traditional pip management:
Then configure:
Available Tools
๐๏ธ Project Management
Tool | Description |
| Initialize indexing for a project directory |
| Rebuild the shallow file index after file changes |
| Generate the full symbol index used by deep analysis |
| View current project configuration and status |
Run
๐ Search & Discovery
Tool | Description |
| Smart search with regex, fuzzy matching, file filtering, and paginated results (10 per page by default) |
| Locate files using glob patterns (e.g.,
) |
| Analyze file structure, functions, imports, and complexity (requires deep index) |
๐ Monitoring & Auto-refresh
Tool | Description |
| Check file watcher status and configuration |
| Enable/disable auto-refresh and configure settings |
๐ ๏ธ System & Maintenance
Tool | Description |
| Set up storage directory for index data |
| Verify index storage location and permissions |
| Reset all cached data and configurations |
| Re-detect available search tools (ugrep, ripgrep, etc.) |
Usage Examples
๐ฏ Quick Start Workflow
1. Initialize Your Project
Automatically indexes your codebase and creates searchable cache
2. Explore Project Structure
Uses:
3. Analyze Key Files
Uses: Tip: run
๐ Advanced Search Examples
Finds:
Matches:
Uses:
Uses:
Uses:
Troubleshooting
๐ Auto-refresh Not Working
If automatic index updates aren't working when files change, try:
pip install watchdog(may resolve environment isolation issues)Use manual refresh: Call the
refresh_indextool after making file changesCheck file watcher status: Use
get_file_watcher_statusto verify monitoring is active
Development & Contributing
๐ง Building from Source
๐ Debugging
๐ค Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.