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# Serena MCP - Installation & Testing Guide for Sandra **Date:** 2025-10-09 **Target:** Test Serena on myai or veogen (large, half-built repos) **Setup:** Claude Desktop + Cursor IDE --- ## 🔍 Quick Stats - Is This Worth It? **GitHub:** 13.8K stars (April 2025 release!) **Developer:** Oraios AI (Germany, founder-driven) **License:** MIT - **100% FOSS, NO paid tier** **Business Model:** Sponsor-funded (Microsoft/VSCode contributed) **Reception:** "Game changer", "secret weapon", "70% token savings" **Why It's Interesting:** - Only MCP server using LSP (Language Server Protocol) for semantic code understanding - Dashboard visualization at localhost:24282 - Works with Claude's FREE tier - Supports 20+ languages out of the box - Community loves it for large, complex codebases --- ## 📋 Prerequisites ### 1. Install `uv` (Python Package Manager) Serena uses `uv` to manage itself. Install it first: ```powershell # PowerShell (as Admin) powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex" # Verify installation uv --version ``` **Restart PowerShell** after installation for PATH updates. --- ## 🚀 Installation ### Option A: Quick Test (Recommended First) Run Serena directly without installing: ```powershell # Test run (downloads and runs on-the-fly) uvx --from git+https://github.com/oraios/serena serena start-mcp-server --help ``` If this works, you're ready to configure. ### Option B: Local Clone (For Development) ```powershell Set-Location "D:\Dev\repos" git clone https://github.com/oraios/serena Set-Location serena # Test local installation uv run serena start-mcp-server --help ``` --- ## ⚙️ Configuration ### For Claude Desktop **File:** `C:\Users\sandr\AppData\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` Add this to your `mcpServers` section: ```json { "mcpServers": { "serena": { "command": "C:\\Users\\sandr\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\WindowsApps\\uvx.exe", "args": [ "--from", "git+https://github.com/oraios/serena", "serena", "start-mcp-server" ] } } } ``` **Windows Path Note:** Find your uvx.exe location with: ```powershell where.exe uvx ``` ### For Cursor IDE **File:** `C:\Users\sandr\.cursor\mcp.json` (global) OR `.cursor\mcp.json` (per-project) **Recommendation:** Use **per-project** config for myai/veogen testing. #### Global Config (`~\.cursor\mcp.json`): ```json { "mcpServers": { "serena": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "--from", "git+https://github.com/oraios/serena", "serena", "start-mcp-server", "--context", "ide-assistant" ] } } } ``` #### Per-Project Config (Better for Testing): Create `D:\Dev\repos\myai\.cursor\mcp.json`: ```json { "mcpServers": { "serena": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "--from", "git+https://github.com/oraios/serena", "serena", "start-mcp-server", "--context", "ide-assistant", "--project", "D:\\Dev\\repos\\myai" ] } } } ``` **Important:** Use `--context ide-assistant` for Cursor (optimizes for IDE integration). --- ## 🧪 Testing on myai or veogen ### Step 1: Choose Test Project **myai** or **veogen** - both are good candidates (large, half-built). Let's use **myai** for this example: ```powershell Set-Location "D:\Dev\repos\myai" # Create .cursor folder if it doesn't exist New-Item -Path ".cursor" -ItemType Directory -Force ``` ### Step 2: Create Per-Project Config ```powershell # PowerShell $config = @" { "mcpServers": { "serena": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "--from", "git+https://github.com/oraios/serena", "serena", "start-mcp-server", "--context", "ide-assistant", "--project", "D:\\Dev\\repos\\myai" ] } } } "@ $config | Out-File -FilePath ".cursor\mcp.json" -Encoding UTF8 ``` ### Step 3: Index the Project (Recommended) For large projects, pre-indexing speeds up Serena dramatically: ```powershell Set-Location "D:\Dev\repos\myai" # Index the project (takes 1-5 minutes depending on size) uvx --from git+https://github.com/oraios/serena serena project index ``` This creates `.serena/` folder with: - `project.yml` (config) - Language server indexes - Memories folder ### Step 4: Restart Cursor Close and reopen Cursor IDE. Serena should appear in the MCP tools. --- ## 🎯 Testing Scenarios ### Test 1: Symbol Search (Token Saver!) **Without Serena:** ``` Cursor Agent: "Find all functions that handle user authentication" → Reads entire files, massive token usage ``` **With Serena:** ``` Cursor Composer: "Use Serena to find all functions that handle user authentication" → Uses find_symbol tool → Returns only relevant symbols → 70% fewer tokens! ``` **Try:** ``` @Composer Use Serena's find_symbol tool to locate all React components related to the dashboard ``` ### Test 2: Code Navigation **Prompt:** ``` @Composer Using Serena, find all references to the User class and show me where it's used ``` **What Serena Does:** - Uses `find_referencing_symbols` tool - Returns precise locations - No need to read entire codebase ### Test 3: Refactoring **Prompt:** ``` @Composer Use Serena to replace the body of the authenticateUser function with improved error handling ``` **What Serena Does:** - Uses `replace_symbol_body` tool - Surgical edits (not entire file rewrites) - Preserves surrounding code ### Test 4: Project Overview **Prompt:** ``` @Composer Use Serena to give me an overview of the main architecture in this project ``` **What Serena Does:** - Uses `get_symbols_overview` tool - Reads project structure semantically - Generates high-level summary --- ## 📊 Dashboard Access Serena runs a local dashboard: **URL:** http://localhost:24282/dashboard/index.html **Features:** - Real-time tool usage stats - Session logs - Project visualization - Manual shutdown (if MCP zombie processes) **Enable Stats Tracking:** Edit `C:\Users\sandr\.serena\serena_config.yml`: ```yaml record_tool_usage_stats: true ``` --- ## 🔧 Troubleshooting ### Problem: "uvx not found" **Solution:** ```powershell # Refresh PATH in current session $env:PATH = [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH","Machine") + ";" + [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH","User") # Verify where.exe uvx ``` ### Problem: Cursor doesn't see Serena tools **Solution:** 1. Check MCP logs: `C:\Users\sandr\.cursor\logs\` 2. Verify JSON syntax (no trailing commas!) 3. Restart Cursor completely 4. Try in Cursor Composer with `@Composer` prefix ### Problem: Serena is slow on first use **Expected!** Language servers initialize on first run. Pre-index the project: ```powershell Set-Location "D:\Dev\repos\myai" uvx --from git+https://github.com/oraios/serena serena project index ``` ### Problem: Dashboard won't open **Solution:** ```powershell # Manually open Start-Process "http://localhost:24282/dashboard/index.html" # Check if port is in use netstat -ano | findstr "24282" ``` ### Problem: "zombie" MCP processes Serena's dashboard has a shutdown button. If processes linger: ```powershell # Kill all uvx processes Get-Process uvx -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Stop-Process -Force ``` --- ## 🎓 Cursor Best Practices ### 1. Always Use Context **Good:** ``` @Composer Use Serena to find the AuthService class ``` **Better:** ``` @Composer Use Serena's find_symbol tool to locate AuthService and show me its methods ``` ### 2. Check Available Tools **Prompt:** ``` @Composer What Serena tools are available? ``` **Common Tools:** - `find_symbol` - Search for classes, functions, variables - `find_referencing_symbols` - Find where symbols are used - `get_symbols_overview` - Get file structure - `replace_symbol_body` - Edit specific functions - `read_file` - Read files efficiently - `execute_shell_command` - Run commands (with permission) ### 3. Pre-Index Large Projects Before heavy work sessions: ```powershell Set-Location "D:\Dev\repos\myai" uvx --from git+https://github.com/oraios/serena serena project index ``` ### 4. Use Memories for Long Tasks Serena can create "memories" in `.serena/memories/`: **Prompt:** ``` @Composer Create a Serena memory about the current authentication architecture so we can continue this work later ``` ### 5. Monitor Token Usage Compare Cursor usage before/after Serena: - Check Cursor's token usage stats - Note conversation lengths - Watch for reduced context dumping --- ## 📝 Configuration Files ### Global Config **Location:** `C:\Users\sandr\.serena\serena_config.yml` **Key Settings:** ```yaml # Enable dashboard stats record_tool_usage_stats: true # Dashboard port dashboard_port: 24282 # Disable GUI tool (Windows-only, experimental) gui_tool_enabled: false ``` ### Project Config **Location:** `D:\Dev\repos\myai\.serena\project.yml` (auto-generated) **Key Settings:** ```yaml # Project name (for reactivation) name: myai # Read-only mode (analysis only, no edits) read_only: false # Language-specific settings languages: python: enable: true typescript: enable: true javascript: enable: true ``` --- ## 🎯 Success Metrics Track these to evaluate Serena's value: ### Week 1 Testing: - [ ] Serena successfully installed in Cursor - [ ] Dashboard accessible at localhost:24282 - [ ] At least 5 symbol searches completed - [ ] Token usage comparison (with/without Serena) - [ ] No crashes or zombie processes ### Week 2 Evaluation: - [ ] Noticed faster code navigation? - [ ] Token savings >50% on complex queries? - [ ] Dashboard visualizations useful? - [ ] Would continue using after trial? ### Decision Criteria: **Keep Serena If:** - ✅ Token savings >50% on large projects - ✅ Dashboard provides useful insights - ✅ Faster navigation than manual file reading - ✅ No performance/stability issues **Remove Serena If:** - ❌ Token savings <30% - ❌ Constant crashes or slow performance - ❌ Dashboard is useless - ❌ More hassle than benefit --- ## 🚀 Quick Start Checklist ### Day 1: Installation - [ ] Install `uv` via PowerShell - [ ] Test `uvx` works - [ ] Add Serena to Cursor config (per-project) - [ ] Restart Cursor - [ ] Verify Serena tools appear ### Day 2: First Test - [ ] Index myai project - [ ] Run 3 symbol searches in Cursor Composer - [ ] Open dashboard at localhost:24282 - [ ] Check tool usage stats - [ ] Compare token usage ### Day 3: Real Work - [ ] Use Serena for actual myai debugging - [ ] Try refactoring with `replace_symbol_body` - [ ] Create a memory for long task - [ ] Test cross-file navigation ### Week 1 Review: - [ ] Evaluate token savings - [ ] Check dashboard insights - [ ] Decide: keep, tweak, or remove? --- ## 📚 Resources **Official:** - GitHub: https://github.com/oraios/serena - Docs: (in repo README) - Dashboard: http://localhost:24282/dashboard/index.html **Community:** - Reddit: Search "Serena MCP" on r/ClaudeAI, r/ClaudeCode - YouTube: Multiple tutorial videos - Blog posts: Medium, Apidog have detailed guides **Your Setup:** - Repos: `D:\Dev\repos\` - Temp: `d:\dev\repos\temp\` - Config: `C:\Users\sandr\.serena\` - Claude Config: `C:\Users\sandr\AppData\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` - Cursor Config: `C:\Users\sandr\.cursor\mcp.json` --- ## 🎉 Final Verdict **Is Serena Worth It?** **Pros:** - ✅ Completely FREE (no hidden paid tier) - ✅ 13.8K stars, active community - ✅ Real 70% token savings reported - ✅ Dashboard is genuinely interesting - ✅ Works with Claude's free tier - ✅ German founders (Sandra likes supporting EU tech) **Cons:** - ⚠️ Requires `uv` dependency - ⚠️ Setup is manual (not one-click) - ⚠️ Best for large projects (overkill for small ones) - ⚠️ Still new (April 2025 release) **Recommendation for Sandra:** **YES, test it on myai or veogen for 1-2 weeks.** Rationale: 1. **Zero cost** - aligns with €100/month AI budget 2. **Token savings** - helps with Cursor Pro usage 3. **Dashboard** - interesting for MCP development insights 4. **Active community** - good for troubleshooting 5. **Low risk** - can remove easily if not useful **Best case:** 70% token savings + useful visualizations = keep it **Worst case:** Not useful, waste of 2 hours setup = remove it **Either way, you learn about LSP integration and semantic code analysis - useful for your own MCP servers!** --- **Ready to install? Start with the Quick Start Checklist above!** 🚀