MCP Server
dotsider-mcp is a standalone Model Context Protocol server that exposes dotsider’s analysis engine to AI coding assistants.
Install
Section titled “Install”dotnet tool (recommended)
Section titled “dotnet tool (recommended)”dotnet tool install -g Dotsider.McpHomebrew (macOS / Linux)
Section titled “Homebrew (macOS / Linux)”brew install willibrandon/tap/dotsider-mcpWinGet (Windows)
Section titled “WinGet (Windows)”winget install willibrandon.dotsider-mcpScoop (Windows)
Section titled “Scoop (Windows)”scoop install dotsider-mcpDownload binary
Section titled “Download binary”Grab a standalone binary from Releases. Binaries are self-contained — no .NET SDK needed.
Configure
Section titled “Configure”Add to your MCP client configuration (e.g. .mcp.json for Claude Code):
{ "mcpServers": { "dotsider": { "command": "dotsider-mcp" } }}What it provides
Section titled “What it provides”38 tools across:
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| Assembly analysis | get_assembly_info, list_types, list_methods, find_members |
| Field analysis | list_fields |
| IL disassembly | disassemble_method, search_il_opcodes |
| Metadata inspection | get_pe_headers, get_clr_header, get_sections, get_custom_attributes, get_resources, resolve_token |
| Dependencies | get_assembly_refs, get_dependency_graph, get_type_refs |
| Size analysis | get_size_breakdown, get_largest_methods |
| String extraction | extract_strings |
| Diffing | diff_assemblies |
| NuGet packages | analyze_nupkg |
| Bundle inspection | get_bundle_info, list_bundle_entries |
| Runtime discovery | find_framework_assembly, resolve_assembly |
| Navigation | get_current_view, navigate_to, capture_screen, navigate_to_il_definition, navigate_back, push_assembly |
| Sessions | discover_dotsider_sessions, get_session_info |
| Tracing | get_trace_events, get_trace_counters, get_process_output, start_trace, stop_trace |
Tools work in two modes:
- Direct mode — pass an assembly path, get results (no TUI needed)
- Session mode — connect to a running dotsider TUI via Unix domain socket for live state, tracing, and navigation
Single-file executables and native apphosts are handled transparently in direct mode — the server extracts the entry assembly from bundles and redirects apphosts to their companion DLLs, matching CLI and TUI behavior.
Session sockets are access-controlled. The socket directory and socket file are restricted to the current user on all platforms, connections are verified against the process owner, and a versioned protocol rejects mismatched clients. Concurrent connections are capped at four per session.
Guided prompts
Section titled “Guided prompts”5 prompts for common workflows:
| Prompt | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Security audit | Analyze an assembly for security concerns |
| API surface review | Map the public API surface |
| Breaking change detection | Compare two versions for breaking changes |
| Dependency health | Assess dependency risk and freshness |
| Bundle analysis | Inspect a single-file bundle: structure, entry assembly, and dependency resolution |
Generating AI skill files
Section titled “Generating AI skill files”dotsider agent init --ai claudeThis writes a skill file to the provider’s conventional location. Supported providers: claude, gemini, copilot, cursor-agent, opencode, codex, windsurf, kilocode, amp, qwen.