From codemunch
Index the codebase using Universal ctags when LSP is unavailable for a language. Generates a JSON symbol table with name, kind, file, line, and end line for all detected symbols. Supports 40+ languages natively.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/codemunch:ctagsThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Use Universal ctags to build a symbol index when LSP is not available.
Use Universal ctags to build a symbol index when LSP is not available.
# Universal ctags has --output-format=json — we need this
ctags --version 2>&1 | grep -i universal
# If not universal ctags, basic ctags won't have JSON output
# Fall back to parsing classic ctags format instead
universal-ctags \
--recurse=yes \
--output-format=json \
--fields=+n+e+K+S+Z \
--extras=+q+r \
--exclude=node_modules \
--exclude=.git \
--exclude=target \
--exclude=__pycache__ \
--exclude=.claude/codemunch \
--exclude=dist \
--exclude=build \
--exclude=vendor \
-f - \
. 2>/dev/null
n — line numbere — end lineK — kind (long form: "function", "class", etc.)S — signatureZ — scope (container class/module)ctags JSON output per line:
{"_type":"tag","name":"validateToken","path":"src/auth/tokens.ts","pattern":"/^async function validateToken/","kind":"function","line":142,"end":163,"signature":"(token: string): Promise<User | null>","scope":"AuthService","scopeKind":"class"}
Filter noise kinds: Skip noise kinds: constant, property, variable, enumerator. These inflate the index 15x without adding useful navigation value. Only keep symbols where kind is one of: function, method, class, interface, type, enum, namespace.
Map each kept symbol to codemunch format:
{
"name": "validateToken",
"kind": "function",
"file": "src/auth/tokens.ts",
"start_line": 142,
"end_line": 163,
"signature": "(token: string): Promise<User | null>",
"container": "AuthService",
"engine": "ctags"
}
If only basic/exuberant ctags is available (no JSON support):
ctags -R --fields=+iaS --extra=+q -f .claude/codemunch/tags .
Parse the tab-separated .claude/codemunch/tags file:
# format: name TAB file TAB pattern TAB kind TAB extensions...
validateToken src/auth/tokens.ts /^async function validateToken/ f line:142
End line is not available in classic ctags — use the rg-fallback skill's brace-counting heuristic.
npx claudepluginhub benmarte/codemunch --plugin codemunchGuides token-efficient code navigation using ctags index to find symbol definitions and references instead of broad grep searches.
Navigates codebases using .codemap/ structural indexes to find symbol definitions (classes, functions, methods), explore file structures, and locate code by name. Enables targeted line-range reads to reduce token consumption.
Search code symbols (functions, classes, methods, types), find call sites and references, list file symbols, get outlines, check index status, and query static analysis findings. Requires indexed codebase.