code-knowledge

Drop the Serena + CodeGraph code-intelligence MCP layer into Claude Code — in any repo, in seconds. Two local, zero-egress servers (no API keys, nothing leaves the machine), configured to auto-track @latest and auto-start everywhere.

• Serena — LSP: symbols, definitions, references, rename-safe edits. Live language server, so it's always fresh (no stored index). Needs uv on PATH.

• CodeGraph — tree-sitter → SQLite call/import graph + symbol search. Returns verbatim source with callers + blast-radius. Self-syncing — a file watcher re-indexes on every save.

Self-contained: zero dependencies, plain Node ≥20, runs from any working directory.

Two ways to install (use both)

1. Personal — every repo, automatically (user scope)

Registers both servers at Claude Code user scope, so they auto-start in every project you open — no per-repo config. Run once per machine. Also adds .codegraph/ + .serena/ to your global gitignore so no repo needs its own entry.

node code-knowledge.js global

2. Team-shareable — per repo (checked-in .mcp.json)

Run inside a repo. Writes/merges .mcp.json (preserving any other servers), gitignores the index dirs, pre-builds the CodeGraph index, and appends a short "query these before grep" note to CLAUDE.md. Commit .mcp.json + CLAUDE.md and your teammates inherit it on clone.

cd /path/to/other-repo
node /path/to/code-knowledge.js repo          # flags: --no-index, --no-claude-md

Both at once

node code-knowledge.js both

Check your environment

node code-knowledge.js doctor

After any install: RESTART Claude Code, then run /mcp. MCP servers attach on restart, not mid-session. Project scope (.mcp.json) also prompts once to trust the repo's servers; user scope is trusted once.

Related MCP server: MCP Research Tools

Reuse it from anywhere

Published at https://github.com/bhanutejaI4E/code-knowledge — run from any repo, no clone:

npx -y github:bhanutejaI4E/code-knowledge doctor   # check environment
npx -y github:bhanutejaI4E/code-knowledge repo     # set up the current repo
npx -y github:bhanutejaI4E/code-knowledge global   # user scope (once per machine)

Or copy this folder next to your projects and call it by path (examples above). Forking it? Swap the handle for your own GitHub username.

The @latest policy (and its cost)

Both servers deliberately track the newest release:

• CodeGraph → @colbymchenry/codegraph@latest — npx re-checks npm on each start.

• Serena → uvx --refresh … — uvx re-resolves the git source on each start.

Trade-off: each launch does a quick upstream check (a little startup latency + needs network), and an occasional CodeGraph version bump may want a fresh init if its index schema changes. If a bad release ever lands, pin a server to an exact version in lib/servers.js (e.g. @colbymchenry/codegraph@1.1.6, or a Serena git tag) and re-run the installer.

Files