# CICADA
mcp-name: io.github.wende/cicada
### **C**ode **I**ntelligence: **C**ontextual **A**nalysis, **D**iscovery, and **A**ttribution
**Context compaction for AI code assistants** – Give your AI structured, token-efficient access to 17+ languages including Elixir, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, Rust, and more.
> [**Up to 50% less waiting · Up to 70% less tokens · Up to 99% less explanations to do**](https://cicada-mcp.vercel.app/#benchmark-section)
> **Tighter context = Better Quality**
[](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://codecov.io/gh/wende/cicada)
[](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)
[](https://elixir-lang.org/)
[](https://www.python.org/)
[](https://www.typescriptlang.org/)
[](https://www.javascript.com/)
[](https://www.rust-lang.org/)
[](#)
[](https://cursor.com/en-US/install-mcp?name=cicada&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjoidXZ4IGNpY2FkYS1tY3AgLiJ9)
[Quick Install](#quick-install) · [Security](#privacy--security) · [Developers](#for-developers) · [AI Assistants](#for-ai-assistants) · [Docs](#documentation)
---
## Why CICADA?
**The core problem:** AI code assistants [waste context on blind searches](https://www.youtube.com/live/xmbSQz-PNMM?t=2402). Grep dumps entire files when you only need a function signature, leaving less room for actual reasoning.
### The Context Compaction Approach
Instead of raw text dumps, CICADA gives your AI **structured, pre-indexed knowledge**:
| Traditional Search | CICADA |
|-------------------|--------|
| Grep dumps entire files | Returns only signatures + call sites |
| Misses aliased imports | Tracks all reference types |
| No semantic understanding | Keyword search finds `verify_credentials` when you ask for "authentication" |
### What You Get
- **AST-level indexing** – Module/function/class definitions with signatures, specs, docs
- **17+ language support** – Elixir, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, Rust, Go, Java, Kotlin, Scala, C/C++, Ruby, C#, Visual Basic, Dart, PHP, Erlang (beta)
- **Complete call-site tracking** – Aliases, imports, dynamic references across all supported languages
- **Semantic search** – Find code by concept with keyword extraction or embeddings (Ollama integration)
- **Git + PR attribution** – Surface *why* code exists, not just what
- **Dependency analysis** – Bidirectional tracking (what calls this, what does this call)
- **Automatic language detection** – Works seamlessly across polyglot codebases
---
## Install
```bash
# 1. Install uv (if needed)
# curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
uv tool install cicada-mcp
# In your repo
cicada claude # or: cicada cursor, cicada vs, cicada gemini, cicada codex, cicada opencode, cicada zed
```
Try before installing permanently
Runs CICADA on demand (worse indexing quality, but zero install).
```bash
uvx cicada-mcp claude # or cursor, vs
```
or
```
claude mcp add cicada uvx cicada-mcp
```
```
gemini mcp add cicada uvx cicada-mcp
```
```
codex mcp add cicada uvx cicada-mcp
```
```
kimi mcp add --transport stdio cicada -- cicada-mcp
```
Uses your editor's built-in MCP management to install CICADA.
**Available commands after installation:**
- `cicada [claude|cursor|vs|gemini|codex|opencode|zed]` - One-command interactive setup per project
- `cicada-mcp` - MCP server (auto-started by editor)
- `cicada serve` - Start REST API server for HTTP access to all MCP tools
- `cicada status` - Show index status, PR index, link status, agent files, MCP configs
- `cicada stats [repo]` - Display usage statistics (tool calls, tokens, execution times)
- `cicada watch` - Watch for file changes and automatically reindex
- `cicada index` - Re-index code with custom options (`-f/--force`, `--keywords`, `--embeddings`, `--watch`)
- `cicada index-pr` - Index pull requests for PR attribution
- `cicada run [tool]` - Execute any of the 7 MCP tools directly from CLI
- `cicada agents install` - Install Claude Code agents to `./.claude/` directory
- `cicada link [parent_dir]` - Links current repository to an existing index
- `cicada clean` - Completely removes cicada integration from your folder as well as all settings
Ask your assistant:
```
# Elixir
"Show me the functions in MyApp.User"
"Where is authenticate/2 called?"
# Python
"Show me the AuthService class methods"
"Where is login() used in the codebase?"
# Both languages
"Find code related to API authentication"
```
---
## Privacy & Security
- **100% local:** parsing + indexing happen on your machine; no external access.
- **No telemetry:** CICADA doesn't collect usage or any telemetry.
- **Read-only tools:** MCP endpoints only read the index; they can't change your repo.
- **Optional GitHub access:** PR features rely on `gh` and your existing OAuth token.
- **Data layout:**
```
~/.cicada/projects//
├─ index.json # modules, functions, call sites, metadata
├─ config.yaml # indexing options + mode
├─ hashes.json # incremental indexing cache
└─ pr_index.json # optional PR metadata + reviews
```
Your repo only gains an editor config (`.mcp.json`, `.cursor/mcp.json`, `.vscode/settings.json`, `.gemini/settings.json`, `.codex/mcp.json`, or `.opencode.json`).
---
## For Developers
> Wire CICADA into your editor once, and every assistant session inherits the context.
### Install & Configure
```bash
cd /path/to/project
cicada claude # or cicada cursor / cicada vs / cicada gemini / cicada codex / cicada opencode / cicada zed
```
### Enable PR Attribution (optional)
```bash
brew install gh # or apt install gh
gh auth login
cicada index-pr . # incremental
cicada index-pr . --clean # full rebuild
```
Unlocks questions like "Which PR introduced line 42?" or "What did reviewers say about `billing.ex`?"
### Automatic Re-indexing with Watch Mode
Enable automatic reindexing when files change by starting the MCP server with the `--watch` flag:
** .mcp.json**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"cicada": {
"command": "cicada-mcp",
"args": ["--watch"],
"env": {
"CICADA_CONFIG_DIR": "/home/user/.cicada/projects/"
}
}
}
}
```
When watch mode is enabled:
- A separate process monitors `.ex`, `.exs` (Elixir) and `.py` (Python) files for changes
- Changes are automatically reindexed (incremental, fast)
- 2-second debounce prevents excessive reindexing during rapid edits
- The watch process stops automatically when the MCP server stops
- Excluded directories: `deps`, `_build`, `node_modules`, `.git`, `assets`, `priv`, `.venv`, `venv`
### CLI Cheat Sheet
**Note:** Language detection is automatic – CICADA detects Elixir (mix.exs) and Python (pyproject.toml) projects automatically.
| Command | Purpose | Run When |
|---------|---------|---------|
| `cicada claude` | Configure MCP + incremental re-index | First setup, after local changes |
| `cicada status` | Check index health, link status, agent files | After setup, troubleshooting |
| `cicada stats` | View usage statistics and token metrics | Monthly reviews, optimization |
| `cicada watch` | Monitor files and auto-reindex on changes | During active development |
| `cicada index --keywords .` | Rebuild with keyword indexing | After large refactors or enabling keywords mode |
| `cicada index --embeddings .` | Rebuild with embeddings (semantic search) | When you want Ollama-powered semantic analysis |
| `cicada index-pr .` | Sync PR metadata/reviews | After new PRs merge |
### Troubleshooting
"Index file not found"
Run the indexer first:
```bash
cicada index /path/to/project
```
Ensure indexing completed successfully. Check for `~/.cicada/projects//index.json`.
"Module not found"
Use the exact module name as it appears in code (e.g., `MyApp.User`, not `User`).
If module was recently added, re-index:
```bash
cicada index .
```
MCP Server Won't Connect
**Troubleshooting checklist:**
1. **Verify configuration file exists:**
```bash
# For Claude Code
ls -la .mcp.json
# For Cursor
ls -la .cursor/mcp.json
# For VS Code
ls -la .vscode/settings.json
```
2. **Check paths are absolute:**
```bash
cat .mcp.json
# Should contain: /absolute/path/to/project
# Not: ./project or ../project
```
3. **Ensure index exists:**
```bash
ls -la ~/.cicada/projects/
# Should show directory for your project
```
4. **Restart editor completely** (not just reload window)
5. **Check editor MCP logs:**
- Claude Code: --debug
- Cursor: Settings → MCP → View Logs
- VS Code: Output panel → MCP
PR Features Not Working
**Setup GitHub CLI:**
```bash
# Install GitHub CLI
brew install gh # macOS
sudo apt install gh # Ubuntu
# or visit https://cli.github.com/
# Authenticate
gh auth login
# Index PRs
cicada index-pr
```
**Common issues:**
- "No PR index found" → Run `cicada index-pr .`
- "Not a GitHub repository" → Ensure repo has GitHub remote
- Slow indexing → First-time indexing fetches all PRs; subsequent runs are incremental
- Rate limiting → GitHub API has rate limits; wait and retry if you hit limits
**Force rebuild:**
```bash
cicada index-pr --clean
```
Keyword Search Not Working
**Error:** "Keyword search not available"
**Cause:** Index was built without keyword extraction.
**Solution:**
```bash
# Re-index with keyword extraction
cicada index . # or --keywords
```
**Verify:**
```bash
cat ~/.cicada/projects//config.yaml
# Should show:
# indexing:
# mode: keywords
```
More detail: [PR Indexing](codebook/tasks/202511192143-PR_INDEXING.md), [Incremental Indexing](codebook/tasks/202512251907-INCREMENTAL_INDEXING.md).
Python Indexing
**Requirements:**
- Node.js (for scip-python indexer)
- Python project with pyproject.toml
**First-time setup:**
CICADA automatically installs scip-python via npm on first index. This may take a minute.
**Known limitations (Beta):**
- First indexing may be slower than Elixir (SCIP generation step)
- Large virtual environments (.venv) are automatically excluded
- Some dynamic Python patterns may not be captured
**Performance tips:**
```bash
# Ensure .venv is excluded
echo "/.venv/" >> .gitignore
# Use keywords mode for quickest indexing
cicada index --keywords .
```
**Report issues:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/wende/cicada/issues) with "Python" label
---
## For AI Assistants
CICADA ships 7 focused MCP tools designed for efficient code exploration across Elixir, Python, and Erlang codebases.
### 🧭 Which Tool Should You Use?
| Need | Tool | Notes |
|------|------|-------|
| **Start exploring** | `query` | **🚀 START HERE** - Smart discovery with keywords/patterns + filters (scope, recent, path) |
| View a module's complete API | `search_module` | Functions, signatures, specs, docs. Use `what_calls_it`/`what_it_calls` for bidirectional analysis |
| Find where a function is used | `search_function` | Definition + all call sites. Supports wildcards (`*`) and OR (`\|`) patterns |
| Track git history | `git_history` | Unified tool: blame, commits, PRs, function evolution (replaces 4 legacy tools) |
| Drill down into results | `expand_result` | Auto-expands modules or functions from query results |
| Advanced index queries | `query_jq` | Custom jq queries for power users |
**Want to see these tools in action?** Check out [Complete Workflow Examples](codebook/WORKFLOWS.md) with pro tips and real-world scenarios.
### Core Tools
**`query`** - Smart code discovery (your starting point)
- Automatically detects keywords vs patterns
- Filters: `scope` (public/private), `recent` (last 14 days), `filter_type` (modules/functions), `match_source` (docs/strings)
- Returns snippets with smart next-step suggestions
- Use `path_pattern` to filter by location
**`search_module`** - Deep module analysis
- View complete API: functions, signatures, specs, docs
- For Python: Shows classes with method counts and signatures
- For Elixir: Shows functions with arity notation
- Bidirectional analysis:
- `what_calls_it=true` → See who uses this module (impact analysis)
- `what_it_calls=true` → See what this module depends on
- Supports wildcards (Elixir: `MyApp.*`, Python: `api.handlers.*`) and OR patterns (`MyApp.User|MyApp.Post`)
- Filter by visibility (public/private/all)
**`search_function`** - Function usage tracking
- Find definitions and all call sites
- `what_calls_it=true` (default) → See all callers
- `what_it_calls=true` → See all dependencies
- Include code examples with `include_usage_examples=true`
- Filter by `usage_type`: source, tests, or all
### Git History (Unified Tool)
**`git_history`** - All git operations in one tool
- **Single line**: `git_history("file.ex", start_line=42)` → blame + PR
- **Line range**: `git_history("file.ex", start_line=40, end_line=60)` → grouped blame
- **Function tracking**: `git_history("file.ex", function_name="create_user")` → evolution
- **File history**: `git_history("file.ex")` → all PRs/commits
- Time filtering: `recent=true` (14d), `recent=false` (>14d), `recent=null` (all)
- Author filtering: `author="john"`
- Automatic PR index integration when available
### Additional Tools
**`expand_result`** - Drill down from query results
- Auto-detects module vs function
- Shows complete details with usage examples
- Configure what to include: code, dependencies, callers
- Convenient wrapper around search_module and search_function
**`query_jq`** - Advanced index queries
- Direct jq queries against the index
- Schema discovery with `| schema`
- Compact (default) or pretty output
- Sample mode for large results
Detailed parameters + output formats: [MCP_TOOLS_REFERENCE.md](MCP_TOOLS_REFERENCE.md).
### Token-Friendly Responses
All tools return structured Markdown/JSON snippets (signatures, call sites, PR metadata) instead of full files, keeping prompts lean.
**New in v0.5.1:** All tools now use compact output by default to minimize token usage. Use `verbose=true` for detailed output with full docs and specs.
---
---
## Documentation
- **[Codebook](codebook/README.md)** – Complete feature reference and user guides
- **[Workflows](codebook/WORKFLOWS.md)** – Real-world examples chaining tools together
- **[Installation](codebook/INSTALLATION.md)** – Step-by-step setup for all editors
- **[Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md)** – Development guidelines and architecture
- [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) – Release notes
**Deep Dives:**
- [Keyword Extraction Analysis](codebook/RandD/202511052055-KEYWORD_EXTRACTION_ANALYSIS.md) – Semantic search internals
- [PR Indexing](codebook/tasks/202511192143-PR_INDEXING.md) – GitHub integration details
- [MCP Tool Call Benchmarking](codebook/RandD/202511052055-MCP_TOOL_CALL_BENCHMARKING.md) – Token/time benchmarks
- [Tool Discoverability](codebook/RandD/202512242110-TOOL_DISCOVERABILITY_TASKS.md) – UX improvements research
---
## Roadmap
### Current Status
**Production Ready:**
- ✅ Elixir (tree-sitter)
- ✅ Python (SCIP)
- ✅ TypeScript (SCIP)
- ✅ JavaScript (SCIP)
- ✅ Rust (SCIP)
**Beta:**
- 🚧 Erlang (tree-sitter)
- 🚧 Go (SCIP)
- 🚧 Java/Kotlin/Scala (SCIP)
- 🚧 C/C++ (SCIP)
- 🚧 Ruby (SCIP)
- 🚧 C#/Visual Basic (SCIP)
- 🚧 Dart (SCIP)
- 🚧 PHP (SCIP)
---
## Comparison to Alternatives
| Feature | CICADA | [Serena](https://github.com/oraios/serena) | [Codicil](https://github.com/E-xyza/codicil) (Elixir-only) |
|---------|--------|--------|---------|
| **Analysis Method** | SCIP (static index) | LSP (real-time server) | LLM summaries + embeddings |
| **Code Editing** | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Git Context** | ✅ PR history, blame, evolution | ❌ | ❌ |
| **Resource Usage** | Low (read from disk) | High (persistent server processes) | Medium (API calls) |
| **Privacy** | 100% local | 100% local | Requires external LLM APIs |
| **Semantic Search** | Local Ollama or keywords | ❌ | OpenAI/Anthropic embeddings |
| **Call Graph** | Bidirectional with alias resolution | LSP-based | ❌ |
**When to choose CICADA:** You want local-first operation with rich git context (PR attribution, blame, function evolution tracking) and efficient token usage.
**When to choose Serena:** You need code editing capabilities through LSP and can accept higher resource usage.
**When to choose Codicil:** You have an Elixir project and prefer LLM-powered semantic summaries (Elixir-only).
---
## Contributing
```bash
git clone https://github.com/wende/cicada.git
cd cicada
uv sync
pytest
```
Before submitting a PR:
- Run `black cicada tests`
- Ensure tests + coverage pass (`pytest --cov=cicada --cov-report=term-missing`)
- Update docs if behaviour changes
We welcome issues/PRs for:
- New language grammars
- Tool output improvements
- Better onboarding docs and tutorials
---
## License
MIT – see [LICENSE](LICENSE).
**Stop wasting context on blind searches. Give your AI CICADA.**
[Get Started](#quick-install) · [Report Issues](https://github.com/wende/cicada/issues)