dotnet-sherlock-mcp — Claude Code MCP server: inspect .NET assemblies
An MCP server that reads .NET assemblies: types, members, dependencies, source via PDB. Useful when the agent should answer from real code instead of guessing.
Open on GitHubWhat dotnet-sherlock-mcp does
The server speaks stdio and hands the agent reflection tools over .NET assemblies: type and member inspection, filtering by name or attribute, paging for large result sets, XML documentation extraction. Separate tools pull a member's original source through PDB or Source Link, decompile to C#, and diff the API surface of two assembly or package versions while flagging breaking changes.
There are 47 tools, with an optional core profile of 24 whose remaining tools load in groups on demand. The Claude Code plugin launches the server in that profile because its skill covers the same set; widen it with load_tools or by setting SHERLOCK_TOOL_PROFILE=full. Prompts explore_package, explain_type and who_calls serve as ready entry points for common workflows.
Running through dnx needs the .NET 10 SDK, while the global tool works on .NET 8 and later. Target frameworks are .NET 8, 9 and 10. If Sherlock was already registered with claude mcp add, drop that entry first, otherwise the tools load twice.
What it helps with
- figure out what a third-party .NET assembly contains
- trace every call site of a method
- diff two package versions and spot breaking changes
- read a member's source without cloning the repo
- list ASP.NET Core endpoints and DI registrations
Example prompts for the agent
- Open
MyApp.dlland list its public types - Who calls
ProcessOrderin this assembly? - Compare the API surface of both package versions and tell me what breaks
How to install dotnet-sherlock-mcp
Install
The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about dotnet-sherlock-mcp
How do I install dotnet-sherlock-mcp in Claude Code?
Through the plugin marketplace: run /plugin marketplace add jcucci/dotnet-sherlock-mcp, then /plugin install sherlock@dotnet-sherlock-mcp. Restart Claude Code or run /reload-plugins afterwards.
What does dotnet-sherlock-mcp do?
It gives the agent tools to inspect .NET assemblies: types and their members, dependencies, XML docs, source through PDB, decompilation, and API comparison across versions.
What does the server need to run?
Launching via dnx requires the .NET 10 SDK; the global tool needs .NET 8 or later. The plugin starts the server in the core profile, and SHERLOCK_TOOL_PROFILE=full exposes everything.
