# lsp-edit-export

A guided workflow for editing exported symbols and public APIs. It finds every caller via LSP, pauses for explicit confirmation, and verifies the build.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 165
- Author: blackwell-systems
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp/tree/HEAD/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/lsp-edit-export

## What it does

This skill automates safe refactoring for public APIs, exported types, and package-level functions. Before touching any file, it locates the definition using `mcp__lsp__go_to_symbol` and discovers every call site with `mcp__lsp__find_references`. The confirmation gate is mandatory. Even if the tool finds zero callers, it displays an impact summary and halts until you explicitly approve the change.

Once approved, the skill edits the declaration and affected callers, captures before-and-after diagnostics, and triggers `mcp__lsp__run_build`. Replacing full function bodies is handled cleanly by `mcp__lsp__replace_symbol_body`. Without the `agent-lsp` MCP server providing `referencesProvider`, the workflow cannot run.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --skill lsp-edit-export -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/lsp-edit-export/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --skill lsp-edit-export -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --skill lsp-edit-export -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install blackwell-systems/agent-lsp lsp-edit-export
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --skill lsp-edit-export -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --path skills/lsp-edit-export
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add blackwell-systems/agent-lsp --skill lsp-edit-export -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp/tree/HEAD/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- trace external call sites before modifying a function signature
- rename exported symbols across multiple packages
- replace entire symbol bodies without manual line offsets
- catch compiler diagnostics immediately after public API edits

## Example prompts
- Use lsp-edit-export to update the signature of `codec.Encode`
- Rename the exported `Buffer` struct across the project using lsp-edit-export
- Refactor method `Buffer.Reset` with lsp-edit-export

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: b2a338b7df7e37dd.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE b2a338b7df7e37dd
````text
---
name: lsp-edit-export
description: Safe workflow for editing exported symbols or public APIs. Use when changing a function signature, modifying a public type, or altering any symbol used outside its own package — finds all callers first so nothing breaks silently.
argument-hint: "[symbol-name]"
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: mcp__lsp__go_to_symbol mcp__lsp__open_document mcp__lsp__find_references mcp__lsp__get_diagnostics mcp__lsp__run_build mcp__lsp__replace_symbol_body Edit Write
license: MIT
compatibility: Requires the agent-lsp MCP server (github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp)
metadata:
  required-capabilities: referencesProvider
  optional-capabilities: workspaceSymbolProvider
---

> Requires the agent-lsp MCP server.

# lsp-edit-export

Safe workflow for editing exported symbols. Always discovers all callers before
touching any code, then verifies the change is clean.

## When to Use

Use this skill whenever you intend to change the signature, name, or behavior of
an **exported symbol**: a symbol visible outside its defining package or module.

**Language-specific definitions:**

| Language   | Exported means...                                                      |
|------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Go         | Identifier starts with an uppercase letter (e.g. `MyFunc`, `MyType`)  |
| TypeScript | Has `export` keyword; or is a public class member (no `private`)       |
| Python     | Not prefixed with `_`; or explicitly listed in `__all__`               |
| Java/C#    | Has `public` or `protected` visibility modifier                        |
| Rust       | Has `pub` keyword                                                      |

If you are unsure whether a symbol is exported, treat it as exported and run
this workflow anyway. The cost is a few extra tool calls; the benefit is never
breaking a hidden caller.

**Do NOT skip this workflow** even when you believe there are zero callers.
The confirmation gate in step 3 exists precisely for that case.

## Workflow

**If LSP is not yet initialized**, call `mcp__lsp__start_lsp` with the
workspace root first. (agent-lsp supports auto-inference from file paths, so
explicit start is only required when switching workspaces or on a cold session.)

### Step 1 — Locate the symbol

Use `go_to_symbol` to find the symbol's definition by name, without needing to
know its file path or line number in advance:

```
mcp__lsp__go_to_symbol({
  "symbol_path": "PackageName.ExportedFunction",
  "workspace_root": "/abs/path/to/repo"   // optional, narrows scope
})
```

`symbol_path` uses dot notation. For a top-level function `Encode` in package
`codec`, use `"codec.Encode"`. For a method `Reset` on type `Buffer`, use
`"Buffer.Reset"`. The last component is the leaf name; any prefix is used to
disambiguate when multiple symbols share the same leaf.

The tool returns a `FormattedLocation` with the definition file and 1-indexed
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE b2a338b7df7e37dd

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First 2977 of 7478 bytes. © blackwell-systems · MIT · https://github.com/blackwell-systems/agent-lsp/tree/HEAD/skills/lsp-edit-export/SKILL.md

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