SocratiCode Management

Set up, index, and manage SocratiCode codebase indexing, file watching, code graphs, and context artifacts.

First-Time Setup

1. Check infrastructure: codebase_health — verifies Docker, Qdrant, Ollama/embedding provider, and embedding model
2. Start indexing: codebase_index — runs in background, returns immediately
3. Poll progress: codebase_status — call every ~60 seconds until 100% complete
   • This also keeps the MCP connection alive (some hosts disconnect idle connections)
4. Done: Graph auto-builds after indexing. In the default watcher mode, the file watcher auto-starts. Ready to search.

On first use, SocratiCode automatically pulls Docker images, starts containers, and downloads the embedding model (~5 min one-time setup).

Incremental Updates & File Watching

The file watcher keeps the index automatically updated in the default SOCRATICODE_WATCHER=auto mode.

• codebase_watch { action: "start" } — start the watcher (runs catch-up update first)
• codebase_watch { action: "stop" } — stop the watcher
• codebase_watch { action: "status" } — list watched projects (including cross-process)
• codebase_update — manual incremental update (only changed files, synchronous). Usually not needed if watcher is active.

For a deliberate code-index snapshot, configure every MCP process that uses the checkout with SOCRATICODE_WATCHER=off and SOCRATICODE_AUTO_RESUME=off. Search and graph tools keep reading the existing index and graph; run codebase_update and codebase_graph_build only when a refresh is wanted. Use watcher mode manual instead when explicit codebase_watch { action: "start" } should remain available. Never try to restart a watcher whose status says disabled.

With SOCRATICODE_WATCHER=git, active indexed checkouts refresh on checked-out ref/HEAD changes, checked every 10 seconds and on search/status/graph requests. No native file watcher starts. Pending or failed refreshes are not current results. Git triggers the update, but the working tree is indexed, including uncommitted edits. Use codebase_update for file saves that do not change ref/HEAD. Selecting Git mode does not create a first index. SOCRATICODE_AUTO_RESUME=off suppresses startup catch-up, not later Git-triggered updates. A Git diagnostic must not be bypassed by starting a watcher.

Managing Indexes

• codebase_stop — gracefully pause in-progress indexing. Current batch finishes and checkpoints. All progress preserved. Resume with codebase_index.
• codebase_remove — delete entire index (destructive). Safely stops watcher, cancels indexing, waits for graph builds.
• codebase_prune — inventory stored identities; delete one by exact identity, fresh confirmation token and shared-store acknowledgement. Path absence is advisory, never a candidate set.
• codebase_list_projects — list all indexed projects with metadata, graph info, and artifact status.

Managing the Code Graph

The dependency graph is auto-built after indexing. In watcher modes manual and off, graph queries read an existing graph but will ask for an explicit build instead of creating a missing graph as a side effect.

• codebase_graph_build — manually rebuild (background, async). Poll with codebase_graph_status.
• codebase_graph_remove — delete graph (auto-rebuilds on next codebase_index)
• codebase_graph_status — check build progress or graph readiness

Context Artifacts Setup

To index non-code knowledge, create .socraticodecontextartifacts.json in the project root:

{
  "artifacts": [
    {
      "name": "database-schema",
      "path": "./docs/schema.sql",
      "description": "PostgreSQL schema — all tables, indexes, constraints, foreign keys."
    }
  ]
}

Supported types: SQL schemas, OpenAPI/Protobuf API specs, Terraform/CloudFormation configs, Kubernetes manifests, architecture docs, environment configs — any text-based file or directory.

• codebase_context_index — manually index/re-index all artifacts (usually auto-triggered)
• codebase_context_remove — remove all indexed artifacts (blocked during indexing)

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Docker not available	Install Docker Desktop from https://docker.com, ensure it's running
Slow indexing on macOS/Windows	Docker can't use GPU. Install native Ollama from https://ollama.com/download for Metal/CUDA acceleration. Or use cloud embeddings.
Want cloud embeddings instead	Set EMBEDDING_PROVIDER=openai + OPENAI_API_KEY, or EMBEDDING_PROVIDER=google + GOOGLE_API_KEY
Search returns no results	Check codebase_status — project may not be indexed. Run codebase_index.
Stale results	Check codebase_status. Run codebase_update; start the watcher only when status does not say it is disabled.
Indexing was interrupted	Run codebase_index again — it resumes from the last checkpoint automatically.
Another process is indexing	codebase_status detects cross-process indexing. Wait for it, or use codebase_stop.

Key Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
QDRANT_MODE	managed	managed (Docker) or external (remote/cloud Qdrant)
QDRANT_URL	—	Full URL for remote Qdrant (e.g. https://xyz.cloud.qdrant.io:6333)
QDRANT_API_KEY	—	API key for remote Qdrant
EMBEDDING_PROVIDER	ollama	ollama, openai, or google
OPENAI_API_KEY	—	Required when EMBEDDING_PROVIDER=openai
GOOGLE_API_KEY	—	Required when EMBEDDING_PROVIDER=google
OLLAMA_MODE	auto	auto (detect native, fallback Docker), docker, external
EMBEDDING_MODEL	nomic-embed-text	Model name (provider-specific)
SEARCH_DEFAULT_LIMIT	10	Default result limit for codebase_search (1-50)
SEARCH_MIN_SCORE	0.10	Default minimum RRF score threshold (0-1)
MAX_FILE_SIZE_MB	5	Maximum file size for indexing in MB; must be a complete finite number
EXTRA_EXTENSIONS	—	Additional file extensions to index (e.g. .tpl,.blade,.hbs)
SOCRATICODE_WATCHER	auto	auto, manual (explicit start only), off (no watcher), or git (ref/HEAD-triggered refresh, no native watcher)
SOCRATICODE_AUTO_RESUME	—	all resumes all stored projects; off disables startup catch-up and interrupted-index recovery

For full parameter details on every tool, see references/tool-reference.md.