code-research-routing

Code Research Routing

Route code investigation queries to the appropriate tool based on query characteristics.

When to Use ChunkHound

Use mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__code_research for questions requiring semantic understanding:

Query Pattern	Example	Why ChunkHound
Architecture questions	"How does the payment system work?"	Multi-file relationships
Dependency discovery	"Find all components that use UserService"	Semantic traversal
Pattern recognition	"What design patterns are used here?"	Cross-file analysis
Data flow mapping	"How does data flow from API to database?"	Architectural synthesis
Onboarding queries	"I'm new, where should I start?"	Broad exploration
Implementation search	"How is authentication implemented?"	Concept-based discovery

When to Use Native Tools

Use Grep, Glob, or Read for direct, targeted queries:

Query Pattern	Example	Why Native
Known file lookup	"Show me package.json"	Direct path → Read
File pattern search	"Find all *.test.ts files"	Pattern match → Glob
Simple string search	"Search for 'TODO' comments"	Literal string → Grep
Known symbol lookup	"Find function calculateTotal"	Exact identifier → Grep

Decision Framework

Before choosing a tool, ask:

1. Does this require understanding relationships between files? → ChunkHound
2. Is this asking HOW something works? → ChunkHound
3. Is this a simple string/pattern search? → Native Grep
4. Does this require discovering code I don't know about? → ChunkHound
5. Do I already know exactly which file to look at? → Native Read

ChunkHound Tool Reference

Tool	Purpose	When to Use
mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__code_research	Deep code research with LLM synthesis	Architecture, implementations, relationships
mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__search_semantic	Find code by meaning/concept	"authentication logic", similar functionality
mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__search_regex	Find exact code patterns	Function names, imports, specific syntax
mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__health_check	Check server health status	Verify MCP connection
mcp__plugin_chunkhound-integration_ChunkHound__get_stats	Get database statistics	Check index health (file/chunk counts)

Prerequisites Check

If ChunkHound tools are unavailable:

1. Verify plugin is installed: /plugin list
2. Check MCP status: /mcp
3. Run diagnostics: /chunkhound-status
4. Restart Claude Code if MCP server not loading