Basemind Code Context
Goldziher/basemind
Answers structural questions about a repository, such as where a symbol is defined, what calls it and what changed recently, through the basemind MCP server.
Routes code exploration through trace-mcp's indexed dependency graph, using symbol search, outlines, call graphs and change-impact tools instead of Read, Grep and Glob.
Install trace-mcp Code Navigation
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcp --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .claude/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .claude/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcpType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcp --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .agents/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .agents/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcp --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .cursor/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .cursor/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git --path integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcp --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .gemini/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .gemini/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcpInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .github/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .github/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp trace-mcp --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp .opencode/skills/trace-mcp && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "trace-mcp" agent skill from https://github.com/nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp/tree/master/integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp into .opencode/skills/trace-mcp/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "trace-mcp", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
trace-mcp- GitHub stars
- 189
- Token cost
- ~354 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 188 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 5
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Routes code exploration through trace-mcp's indexed dependency graph, using symbol search, outlines, call graphs and change-impact tools instead of Read, Grep and Glob.
- Finding a function, class, route or component without grepping
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
- Checking what breaks before changing a symbol
- Tracing a request flow or call graph
What it does
The skill tells the agent to use trace-mcp tools whenever a project has been indexed by trace-mcp, a framework-aware code intelligence MCP server that exposes 182 tools over a cross-language dependency graph. Native Read, Grep, Glob and shell listing commands are kept for non-code files such as Markdown, JSON, YAML and configs, or for the moment just before an edit to a known file.
A session starts with get_project_map in summary mode and get_task_context with a plain-language task description, which gathers relevant code in one call. A decision matrix then maps each job to a tool: search to find a symbol, get_outline to understand a file, get_symbol to read one symbol, get_change_impact to see what breaks, get_call_graph and find_usages for callers and usages, get_tests_for for tests, get_request_flow for HTTP flows, get_model_context for database models and get_circular_imports for dependency cycles.
When your agent uses it
- Finding a function, class, route or component without grepping
- Checking what breaks before changing a symbol
- Tracing a request flow or call graph
- Understanding a file or feature before editing it
- Auditing dead code, tests or circular imports
Example prompts
- “Use trace-mcp to find every caller of the payment processor before I change its signature.”
- “Show me the request flow for the checkout route and the tests that cover it.”
- “Give me the project map and task context for adding rate limiting to the API.”
Requirements
- A project indexed by trace-mcp
- The trace-mcp MCP server connected to your agent
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit a577015. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
trace-mcp Code Navigation loads about 354 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 27 tokens; SKILL.md has 188 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp at commit a577015, republished under its MIT licence (© nikolai-vysotskyi). 188 words, ~354 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/trace-mcp/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- trace-mcp
- description
- Use trace-mcp through bb to search indexed code and recall project decisions with compact context.
Use trace_get_index_health to check the index, then trace_search to find symbols before reading whole files. Use trace_get_symbol for an exact definition and trace_get_outline for file structure. Use trace_get_project_memo at the start of a task when prior decisions matter, trace_query_decisions for a focused recall query, and trace_remember_decision to record an explicit English-language decision with the current bb thread as its session ID. Automatic decision capture rejects non-English text; for a manually entered decision in another language use the panel or bb trace remember. For other capabilities, search the catalog with trace_tools and pass the selected tool name and arguments to trace_call.
The thread's Trace context panel shows index health, saved decisions, and the provider's context-window usage. The same data and explicit writes are available through bb trace status, bb trace decisions, bb trace remember, and bb trace index; pass --thread <id> outside a bb thread.
The plugin runs trace-mcp in the bb environment's repository on its host machine. A thread needs an environment with a path. On first use, indexing may take time. Tool results are capped; narrow or page a query when a result says it was shortened.
© nikolai-vysotskyi, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp of nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit a577015
Compare with similar skills
trace-mcp Code Navigation next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trace-mcp Code Navigation this skillnikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp | 189 | — | ~354 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Basemind Code ContextGoldziher/basemind | 108 | — | ~2.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Codebase SearchHelweg/open-codebase-index | 218 | — | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Codebase Search WorkflowHelweg/open-codebase-index | 218 | — | ~822 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Basemind Index ScanGoldziher/basemind | 108 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Warn | MIT | |
| tilth Code Reading CLIjahala/tilth | 352 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
Similar skills
Codebase Search
Helweg/open-codebase-index
Chooses the right retrieval tool for code questions: compact context for unfamiliar repos, direct lookup for known symbols, call graphs for relationships and grep for exhaustive matches.
Codebase Search Workflow
Helweg/open-codebase-index
Directs an agent to use a local codebase index for repository orientation, definition lookups, call graphs and semantic search before turning to web lookups.
Basemind Index Scan
Goldziher/basemind
Builds or refreshes the basemind code index from the command line, for when basemind reports no index or its MCP server is not running.
tilth Code Reading CLI
jahala/tilth
Replaces grep, cat, find and ls with the tilth CLI, which returns AST-aware outlines, definitions, usages and callers across many languages in one call.
Smart Explore Code Search
thedotmack/claude-mem
Explores code structure with tree-sitter AST search tools, getting a ranked symbol map and file outlines before reading full source, to save tokens.
More from nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Trace MCP
nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Use trace-mcp tools for code navigation, impact analysis, and framework-aware queries instead of Read/Grep/Glob/Bash.
trace-mcp Codemods
nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Replaces repeated hand edits with the trace-mcp apply_codemod tool, previewing matches in a dry run before bulk mechanical changes across one file or many.
trace-mcp Pre-Commit Checks
nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Runs trace-mcp security, quality-gate and antipattern checks before a commit or pull request, and builds a symbol-level diff for the PR description.
Trace-MCP Refactoring
nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Refactors code safely in projects indexed by trace-mcp: assess risk, find candidates, check impact and rename symbols across every file without missing a reference.
Related
Works with
Categories
Questions about trace-mcp Code Navigation
What does trace-mcp Code Navigation do?
Routes code exploration through trace-mcp's indexed dependency graph, using symbol search, outlines, call graphs and change-impact tools instead of Read, Grep and Glob. The skill tells the agent to use trace-mcp tools whenever a project has been indexed by trace-mcp, a framework-aware code intelligence MCP server that exposes 182 tools over a cross-language dependency graph. Native Read, Grep, Glob and shell listing commands are kept for non-code files such as Markdown, JSON, YAML and configs, or for the moment just before an edit to a known file.
When should I use trace-mcp Code Navigation?
trace-mcp Code Navigation fits situations like: finding a function, class, route or component without grepping; checking what breaks before changing a symbol; tracing a request flow or call graph; understanding a file or feature before editing it.
How do I install trace-mcp Code Navigation in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp in nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp) into .claude/skills/trace-mcp in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install trace-mcp Code Navigation in Codex?
Run `npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (integrations/bb/skills/trace-mcp in nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp) into .agents/skills/trace-mcp in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use trace-mcp Code Navigation in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp --skill trace-mcp -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/trace-mcp, .gemini/skills/trace-mcp, .github/skills/trace-mcp and .opencode/skills/trace-mcp in your project.
What does trace-mcp Code Navigation need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: trace-mcp Code Navigation is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: A project indexed by trace-mcp; The trace-mcp MCP server connected to your agent.
Does trace-mcp Code Navigation access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is trace-mcp Code Navigation safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does trace-mcp Code Navigation use?
trace-mcp Code Navigation is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does trace-mcp Code Navigation use?
About 354 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 1.4k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to trace-mcp Code Navigation?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with trace-mcp Code Navigation: Basemind Code Context (Goldziher/basemind, 108 stars), Codebase Search (Helweg/open-codebase-index, 218 stars), Codebase Search Workflow (Helweg/open-codebase-index, 218 stars) and Basemind Index Scan (Goldziher/basemind, 108 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains trace-mcp Code Navigation?
nikolai-vysotskyi (a GitHub user) maintains it in nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp, which has 189 GitHub stars. The repository holds 5 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 11, 2026.
Source: nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.