Girder — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Girder builds a local codebase graph to supply coding agents with isolated functions instead of full files. It helps preserve the context window during deep code reviews or edits.
claude mcp add girder -- npx -y girder-mcpWhat Girder does
Girder runs locally without cloud dependencies, API keys, or user logins. It parses repositories into a semantic graph so agents inspect exact definitions, callers, callees, and task context through tools such as get_source or find_definition. The bundled orient command aggregates callers, source, and affected tests in one payload to trim repetitive back-and-forth prompts.
An included test-impact tool maps modified lines to affected test targets, preferring caution over silent omissions. Audits across 100 call sites confirmed sound responses for Rust and Python. In contrast, TypeScript integration is still stabilizing around duplicate test-suite naming collisions, and Go audit stages remain incomplete.
On Windows, SmartScreen raises an untrusted publisher warning on initial launch because the current setup binary lacks a code signature.
What it helps with
- fetch isolated function bodies without loading surrounding source files
- trace incoming callers and outgoing callees across repository symbols
- bundle callers, source, and related tests into a single query
- identify which test suites are impacted by code modifications
Example prompts for the agent
- Inspect
format_greetingand retrieve its callers without reading the full file. - Run
orientoncrate::greeter::shout_greetingto pull its context and related tests. - Check which tests might break after editing this module using
test-impact.
How to install Girder
Platform CLI
claude mcp add girder -- npx -y girder-mcpPlatform CLI
codex mcp add girder -- npx -y girder-mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"girder": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"girder-mcp"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"girder": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"girder-mcp"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add girder npx -y girder-mcpStep 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 Girder
How do I install Girder in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add girder -- npx -y girder-mcp in your terminal. You can also run npx -y girder-mcp setup to detect and configure supported coding tools automatically.
What does Girder do?
It constructs an offline semantic graph of your project so coding assistants inspect exact symbols and dependencies. This keeps unnecessary file lines out of the prompt history.
What language limitations exist in Girder?
Audits for Rust and Python confirmed safe outputs on tested call sites. TypeScript still faces node collisions with identical describe or it labels, and Go has not finished Stage 3 audits.
