Clangd Setup Skill

Use this skill when clangd-mcp is missing or needs configuration for the current workspace.

Core Principles

• Proactive Execution: Do all necessary work to set up clangd once user approval is obtained.
• Workspace Specific: Configuration (compile_commands.json) must be generated for the specific V8 checkout.

Setup Workflow

Follow these steps to ensure clangd is ready:

1. Check and Install clangd-mcp

1. Check if the clangd-mcp server is available in the list of registered servers.
2. If not available:
   • Ask the user: "Would you like me to install and configure clangd-mcp for this workspace?"
   • If approved, proceed to installation steps if known, or ask the user for guidance on how to enable it in their specific environment.

2. Generate compile_commands.json

clangd requires a compilation database to understand the codebase.

1. Identify Build Directory: Check for common build directories like out/x64.debug, out/x64.release.
2. Check for Existing File: Check if compile_commands.json already exists in the identified build directory or at the project root.
3. Generate if Missing: If it doesn't exist, you MUST attempt to generate it.
   • Method: Run gn gen <build_dir> --export-compile-commands.
     • Example: gn gen out/x64.debug --export-compile-commands
   • Ask the user before running the command to ensure it targets the correct build directory they are working with.

3. Verify Configuration

1. Once compile_commands.json is generated, verify that clangd-mcp tools (like find_symbol, get_definition) return meaningful results for a known symbol in the codebase.

Troubleshooting

• If clangd cannot find headers, ensure compile_commands.json is at the root or linked correctly, and that the build has been run at least once to generate all necessary headers (like Torque generated files).