Roslyn Workbench MCP

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

Find References

find-references

Read-onlyIdempotent

Locate all source references to a C# symbol across a solution, project, or document, optionally including declarations and access classification.

Instructions

Finds source references, optionally including declarations and access classification.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`scope`	No	Limits references and declarations to the selected documents or projects; omitted searches the loaded solution.
`symbol`	Yes	Provide exactly one of location or documentationCommentId.
`workspace`	No	Provide workspaceId, alias, path, or any combination.
`includeContext`	No	Include the trimmed source line for each returned reference when available; declaration entries have no context. Defaults to false.
`referencesLimit`	No	Caps returned occurrences, including declarations when requested. Omitted or null uses 100; zero returns no occurrences.
`expectedSnapshot`	No	Echo the snapshot returned with the data or transaction state used to construct this request.
`includeDefinitions`	No	Include source declarations alongside references within the same result limit; defaults to true.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv1.0.4Oct 15, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$defs": {
+    "warningInfo": {
+      "properties": {
+        "code": {
+          "description": "The stable machine-readable warning code.",
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "message": {
+          "description": "The human-readable warning message.",
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "code",
+        "message"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    }
+  },
+  "oneOf": [
+    {
+      "properties": {
+        "data": {
+          "description": "Tool-specific result payload.",
+          "properties": {
+            "references": {
+              "description": "The returned references.",
+              "properties": {
+                "hasMore": {
+                  "description": "Whether additional items were available beyond this page.",
+                  "type": "boolean"
+                },
+                "items": {
+                  "description": "Items returned in this page.",
+                  "items": {
+                    "properties": {
+                      "containingSymbol": {
+                        "description": "The containing symbol, when available.",
+                        "properties": {
+                          "displayName": {
+                            "description": "The display name of the symbol.",
+                            "type": "string"
+                          },
+                          "documentationCommentId": {
+                            "description": "The documentation comment identifier, when available.",
+                            "type": [
+                              "string",
+                              "null"
+                            ]
+                          },
+                          "kind": {
+                            "description": "The symbol kind.",
+                            "type": "string"
+                          },
+                          "location": {
+                            "$ref": "#/properties/request/properties/value/properties/symbol/properties/location",
+                            "description": "The optional source location of the symbol."
+                          }
+                        },
+                        "required": [
+                          "displayName",
+                          "kind"
+                        ],
+                        "type": [
+                          "object",
+                          "null"
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "context": {
+                        "description": "The optional source snippet.",
+                        "type": [
+                          "string",
+                          "null"
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "isDefinition": {
+                        "description": "Whether the location is a definition.",
+                        "type": "boolean"
+                      },
+                      "isWrite": {
+                        "description": "Whether the location represents a write access.",
+                        "type": "boolean"
+                      },
+                      "location": {
+                        "description": "The reference location.",
+                        "properties": {
+                          "column": {
+                            "description": "The one-based column number.",
+                            "type": "integer"
+                          },
+                          "document": {
+                            "$ref": "#/properties/request/properties/value/properties/symbol/properties/location/properties/document",
+                            "description": "The resolved document."
+                          },
+                          "line": {
+                            "description": "The one-based line number.",
+                            "type": "integer"
+                          },
+                          "selector": {
+                            "$ref": "#/properties/request/properties/value/properties/symbol/properties/location/properties/selector",
+                            "description": "The canonical selector that can resolve this source location again."
+                          },
+                          "snapshot": {
+                            "$ref": "#/properties/request/properties/value/properties/symbol/properties/location/properties/snapshot",
+                            "description": "The exact immutable workspace snapshot associated with this location."
+                          },
+                          "span": {
+                            "$ref": "#/properties/request/properties/value/properties/symbol/properties/location/properties/span",
+                            "description": "The resolved text span."
+                          }
+                        },
+                        "required": [
+                          "snapshot"
+                        ],
+                        "type": [
+                          "object",
+                          "null"
+                        ]
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "type": "object"
+                  },
+                  "type": [
+                    "array",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                },
+                "totalCount": {
+                  "description": "Complete result count, when available without additional expensive work.",
+                  "type": [
+                    "integer",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            "symbol": {
+              "description": "The queried symbol.",
+              "properties": {
+                "displayName": {
+                  "description": "The display name of the symbol.",
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "documentationCommentId": {
+                  "description": "The documentation comment identifier, when available.",
+                  "type": [
+                    "string",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "description": "The symbol kind.",
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "location": {
+                  "description": "The optional source location of the symbol.",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "column": {
+                      "description": "The one-based column number.",
+                      "type": "integer"
+                    },
+                    "document": {
+                      "description": "The resolved document.",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "documentId": {
+                          "description": "The document identifier.",
+                          "type": "string"
+                        },
+                        "path": {
+                          "description": "The normalized document path.",
+                          "type": "string"
+                        },
+                        "projectId": {
+                          "description": "The owning project identifier.",
+                          "type": "string"
+                        }
+                      },
+                      "required": [
+                        "documentId",
+                        "path",
+                        "projectId"
+                      ],
+                      "type": [
+                        "object",
+                        "null"
+                      ]
+                    },
+                    "line": {
+                      "description": "The one-based line number.",
+                      "type": "integer"
+                    },
+                    "selector": {
+                      "description": "The canonical selector that can resolve this source location again.",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "span": {
+                          "properties": {
+                            "document": {
+                              "description": "Provide exactly one of path or documentId.",
+                              "properties": {
+                                "documentId": {
+                                  "description": "Workspace-local document ID.",
+                                  "type": [
+                                    "string",
+                                    "null"
+                                  ]
+                                },
+                                "path": {
+                                  "description": "Workspace-relative path.",
+                                  "type": [
+                                    "string",
+                                    "null"
+                                  ]
+                                },
+                                "project": {
+                                  "description": "Disambiguates documents with matching paths or IDs.",
+                                  "properties": {
+                                    "name": {
+                                      "type": [
+                                        "string",
+                                        "null"
+                                      ]
+                                    },
+                                    "path": {
+                                      "description": "Workspace-relative path.",
+                                      "type": [
+                                        "string",
+                                        "null"
+                                      ]
+                                    },
+                                    "projectId": {
+                                      "type": [
+                                        "string",
+                                        "null"
+                                      ]
+                                    },
+                                    "targetFramework": {
+                                      "type": [
+                                        "string",
+                                        "null"
+                                      ]
+                                    }
+                                  },
+                                  "type": [
+                                    "object",
+                                    "null"
+                                  ]
+                                }
+                              },
+                              "type": "object"
+                            },
+                            "range": {
+                              "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 range.",
+                              "properties": {
+                                "length": {
+                                  "description": "UTF-16 code-unit length.",
+                                  "maximum": 2147483647,
+                                  "minimum": 0,
+                                  "type": "integer"
+                                },
+                                "start": {
+                                  "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 offset.",
+                                  "maximum": 2147483647,
+                                  "minimum": 0,
+                                  "type": "integer"
+                                }
+                              },
+                              "type": "object"
+                            }
+                          },
+                          "required": [
+                            "document",
+                            "range"
+                          ],
+                          "type": "object"
+                        }
+                      },
+                      "required": [
+                        "span"
+                      ],
+                      "type": [
+                        "object",
+                        "null"
+                      ]
+                    },
+                    "snapshot": {
+                      "description": "The exact immutable workspace snapshot associated with this location.",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "snapshotId": {
+                          "format": "uuid",
+                          "type": "string"
+                        },
+                        "transactionRevision": {
+                          "type": [
+                            "integer",
+                            "null"
+                          ]
+                        },
+                        "workspaceEpoch": {
+                          "type": "integer"
+                        },
+                        "workspaceId": {
+                          "format": "uuid",
+                          "type": "string"
+                        }
+                      },
+                      "required": [
+                        "workspaceId",
+                        "workspaceEpoch",
+                        "snapshotId",
+                        "transactionRevision"
+                      ],
+                      "type": "object"
+                    },
+                    "span": {
+                      "description": "The resolved text span.",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "length": {
+                          "description": "UTF-16 code-unit length.",
+                          "maximum": 2147483647,
+                          "minimum": 0,
+                          "type": "integer"
+                        },
+                        "start": {
+                          "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 offset.",
+                          "maximum": 2147483647,
+                          "minimum": 0,
+                          "type": "integer"
+                        }
+                      },
+                      "type": [
+                        "object",
+                        "null"
+                      ]
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "required": [
+                    "snapshot"
+                  ],
+                  "type": [
+                    "object",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "displayName",
+                "kind"
+              ],
+              "type": [
+                "object",
+                "null"
+              ]
+            }
+          },
+          "type": [
+            "object",
+            "null"
+          ]
+        },
+        "ok": {
+          "const": true,
+          "description": "Whether the tool invocation succeeded."
+        },
+        "snapshot": {
+          "description": "Exact immutable workspace snapshot associated with the result, when available.",
+          "properties": {
+            "snapshotId": {
+              "format": "uuid",
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "transactionRevision": {
+              "type": [
+                "integer",
+                "null"
+              ]
+            },
+            "workspaceEpoch": {
+              "type": "integer"
+            },
+            "workspaceId": {
+              "format": "uuid",
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "workspaceId",
+            "workspaceEpoch",
+            "snapshotId",
+            "transactionRevision"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "warnings": {
+          "description": "Non-fatal warnings the agent should consider.",
+          "items": {
+            "$ref": "#/$defs/warningInfo"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "ok",
+        "data",
+        "snapshot"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "properties": {
+        "continuation": {
+          "description": "Action the agent should take before retrying or continuing.",
+          "oneOf": [
+            {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "instruction": {
+                  "description": "Agent-facing instruction explaining how to continue.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "const": "CallTool",
+                  "description": "Action required before the original request can continue."
+                },
+                "tool": {
+                  "description": "Tool to call before continuing the original request.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "kind",
+                "tool",
+                "instruction"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "instruction": {
+                  "description": "Agent-facing instruction explaining how to continue.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "const": "ChooseTool",
+                  "description": "Action required before the original request can continue."
+                },
+                "tools": {
+                  "description": "Allowed tool choices from which the agent must select one.",
+                  "items": {
+                    "description": "Name of a tool the agent may choose.",
+                    "minLength": 1,
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "minItems": 1,
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "uniqueItems": true
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "kind",
+                "tools",
+                "instruction"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "instruction": {
+                  "description": "Agent-facing instruction explaining how to continue.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "const": "RetryRequest",
+                  "description": "Action required before the original request can continue."
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "kind",
+                "instruction"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "instruction": {
+                  "description": "Agent-facing instruction explaining how to continue.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "const": "ReviseRequest",
+                  "description": "Action required before the original request can continue."
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "kind",
+                "instruction"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "instruction": {
+                  "description": "Agent-facing instruction explaining how to continue.",
+                  "minLength": 1,
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "kind": {
+                  "const": "ResolveExternally",
+                  "description": "Action required before the original request can continue."
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "kind",
+                "instruction"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "diagnostics": {
+          "description": "Diagnostics that explain the failed invocation.",
+          "items": {
+            "properties": {
+              "id": {
+                "description": "The diagnostic identifier.",
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              "location": {
+                "description": "The optional source location of the diagnostic.",
+                "properties": {
+                  "column": {
+                    "description": "The one-based column number.",
+                    "type": "integer"
+                  },
+                  "document": {
+                    "description": "The resolved document.",
+                    "properties": {
+                      "documentId": {
+                        "description": "The document identifier.",
+                        "type": "string"
+                      },
+                      "path": {
+                        "description": "The normalized document path.",
+                        "type": "string"
+                      },
+                      "projectId": {
+                        "description": "The owning project identifier.",
+                        "type": "string"
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "required": [
+                      "documentId",
+                      "path",
+                      "projectId"
+                    ],
+                    "type": [
+                      "object",
+                      "null"
+                    ]
+                  },
+                  "line": {
+                    "description": "The one-based line number.",
+                    "type": "integer"
+                  },
+                  "selector": {
+                    "description": "The canonical selector that can resolve this source location again.",
+                    "properties": {
+                      "span": {
+                        "properties": {
+                          "document": {
+                            "description": "Provide exactly one of path or documentId.",
+                            "properties": {
+                              "documentId": {
+                                "description": "Workspace-local document ID.",
+                                "type": [
+                                  "string",
+                                  "null"
+                                ]
+                              },
+                              "path": {
+                                "description": "Workspace-relative path.",
+                                "type": [
+                                  "string",
+                                  "null"
+                                ]
+                              },
+                              "project": {
+                                "description": "Disambiguates documents with matching paths or IDs.",
+                                "properties": {
+                                  "name": {
+                                    "type": [
+                                      "string",
+                                      "null"
+                                    ]
+                                  },
+                                  "path": {
+                                    "description": "Workspace-relative path.",
+                                    "type": [
+                                      "string",
+                                      "null"
+                                    ]
+                                  },
+                                  "projectId": {
+                                    "type": [
+                                      "string",
+                                      "null"
+                                    ]
+                                  },
+                                  "targetFramework": {
+                                    "type": [
+                                      "string",
+                                      "null"
+                                    ]
+                                  }
+                                },
+                                "type": [
+                                  "object",
+                                  "null"
+                                ]
+                              }
+                            },
+                            "type": "object"
+                          },
+                          "range": {
+                            "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 range.",
+                            "properties": {
+                              "length": {
+                                "description": "UTF-16 code-unit length.",
+                                "maximum": 2147483647,
+                                "minimum": 0,
+                                "type": "integer"
+                              },
+                              "start": {
+                                "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 offset.",
+                                "maximum": 2147483647,
+                                "minimum": 0,
+                                "type": "integer"
+                              }
+                            },
+                            "type": "object"
+                          }
+                        },
+                        "required": [
+                          "document",
+                          "range"
+                        ],
+                        "type": "object"
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "required": [
+                      "span"
+                    ],
+                    "type": [
+                      "object",
+                      "null"
+                    ]
+                  },
+                  "snapshot": {
+                    "description": "The exact immutable workspace snapshot associated with this location.",
+                    "properties": {
+                      "snapshotId": {
+                        "format": "uuid",
+                        "type": "string"
+                      },
+                      "transactionRevision": {
+                        "type": [
+                          "integer",
+                          "null"
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "workspaceEpoch": {
+                        "type": "integer"
+                      },
+                      "workspaceId": {
+                        "format": "uuid",
+                        "type": "string"
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "required": [
+                      "workspaceId",
+                      "workspaceEpoch",
+                      "snapshotId",
+                      "transactionRevision"
+                    ],
+                    "type": "object"
+                  },
+                  "span": {
+                    "description": "The resolved text span.",
+                    "properties": {
+                      "length": {
+                        "description": "UTF-16 code-unit length.",
+                        "maximum": 2147483647,
+                        "minimum": 0,
+                        "type": "integer"
+                      },
+                      "start": {
+                        "description": "Zero-based UTF-16 offset.",
+                        "maximum": 2147483647,
+                        "minimum": 0,
+                        "type": "integer"
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "type": [
+                      "object",
+                      "null"
+                    ]
+                  }
+                },
+                "required": [
+                  "snapshot"
+                ],
+                "type": [
+                  "object",
+                  "null"
+                ]
+              },
+              "message": {
+                "description": "The diagnostic message.",
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              "severity": {
+                "description": "The diagnostic severity.",
+                "enum": [
+                  "Hidden",
+                  "Info",
+                  "Warning",
+                  "Error"
+                ],
+                "type": "string"
+              }
+            },
+            "required": [
+              "id",
+              "message"
+            ],
+            "type": "object"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "error": {
+          "description": "Structured error details when the invocation failed.",
+          "properties": {
+            "code": {
+              "description": "Stable machine-readable error code.",
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "correlationId": {
+              "description": "Correlation identifier for matching the failure to server-side diagnostics, when available.",
+              "type": [
+                "string",
+                "null"
+              ]
+            },
+            "message": {
+              "description": "Human-readable explanation of the failure.",
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "code",
+            "message"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "ok": {
+          "const": false,
+          "description": "Whether the tool invocation succeeded."
+        },
+        "warnings": {
+          "description": "Non-fatal warnings the agent should consider.",
+          "items": {
+            "$ref": "#/$defs/warningInfo"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "ok",
+        "error"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "properties": {
+        "diagnostics": {
+          "description": "Diagnostics that explain the failed invocation.",
+          "properties": {
+            "detailsAvailable": {
+              "const": true
+            },
+            "detailsTool": {
+              "const": "get-error-details"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "detailsAvailable",
+            "detailsTool"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "error": {
+          "description": "Structured error details when the invocation failed.",
+          "properties": {
+            "code": {
+              "const": "UnhandledException"
+            },
+            "correlationId": {
+              "format": "uuid",
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "message": {
+              "const": "Tool execution failed."
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "code",
+            "message",
+            "correlationId"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "ok": {
+          "const": false,
+          "description": "Whether the tool invocation succeeded."
+        },
+        "reporting": {
+          "description": "Error-reporting workflow available for an unhandled failure.",
+          "properties": {
+            "canPrepare": {
+              "type": "boolean"
+            },
+            "prepareTool": {
+              "type": [
+                "string",
+                "null"
+              ]
+            },
+            "state": {
+              "enum": [
+                "Available",
+                "AlwaysApproved",
+                "DisabledByConfiguration",
+                "ApprovalUnavailable"
+              ],
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "state"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "ok",
+        "error",
+        "diagnostics"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    }
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed4 schema fields changedv1.0.3Oct 15, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / includeContext / description

Added value: +"Include the trimmed source line for each returned reference when available; declaration entries have no context. Defaults to false."

addedInput schema / properties / includeDefinitions / description

Added value: +"Include source declarations alongside references within the same result limit; defaults to true."

addedInput schema / properties / referencesLimit / description

Added value: +"Caps returned occurrences, including declarations when requested. Omitted or null uses 100; zero returns no occurrences."

addedInput schema / properties / scope / description

Added value: +"Limits references and declarations to the selected documents or projects; omitted searches the loaded solution."

First observedv1.0.2Oct 15, 2026

TDQS

C2.9/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds little beyond that: it does not mention the default 100-result cap, snapshot/expectedSnapshot concurrency semantics, or the exactly-one-of constraints on symbol identification, all of which materially affect correct invocation.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single tight sentence with the core verb and resource front-loaded and no filler. The only wasted words are 'access classification', which is unclear and earns nothing.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described, and the very rich input schema carries parameter semantics. But for a tool with 7 parameters, deeply nested scope/symbol objects, and snapshot echoing, one sentence is thin; it says nothing about scoping behavior, result limits, or how declarations are interleaved with references.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents every parameter's meaning, including includeDefinitions, referencesLimit, and scope. The description contributes only the vague 'including declarations and access classification', which does not add syntax or semantics beyond the schema, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Finds source references'), which is enough for an agent to know the operation. However, it never distinguishes itself from closely related siblings such as find-callers, find-implementations, or go-to-definition, and the trailing phrase 'access classification' does not map to any visible parameter, adding slight ambiguity.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

There is no guidance on when to choose this tool over the many adjacent symbol-navigation siblings, nor any stated prerequisites (e.g., that a workspace must be loaded, or how it differs from find-callers when you want only invocations). Usage is left entirely to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server