lsp

What This Skill Does

The lsp skill is a powerful code navigation tool for OpenClaw that functions as a multi-language Language Server Protocol (LSP) client. Instead of relying on unreliable text-matching searches like grep, the lsp skill communicates directly with language-specific background daemons. This allows it to understand the actual syntax and structure of your codebase. It performs intelligent tasks such as locating symbol definitions, finding all references to a variable or function, retrieving hover-based type signatures, and listing document symbols. It is designed for developers who need to interact with deep codebases with high accuracy.

Installation

To begin, ensure you have Python 3.10+ installed on your system. First, install your required language servers (e.g., pyright for Python or gopls for Go). Once servers are installed, link the client script located at {baseDir}/scripts/lsp-query.py to your system PATH to allow the lsp-query command to be run from any directory. Ensure your LSP_WORKSPACE environment variable is set to your project root to ensure the daemon properly indexes your files. If the variable is unset, the tool defaults to your current working directory or Git root.

Use Cases

Use this skill when you are performing complex refactoring or investigative debugging. For example, if you see an unfamiliar function call and need to understand its parameters and docstrings, the hover command provides the exact signature from the source. When planning a change, use references to see every single location where a class or method is used across your entire project, preventing accidental breakage. Use symbols to get a structured outline of a large file, helping you navigate complex logic without scrolling.

Example Prompts

1. "Find all references to the AuthManager class in the current directory and list the files where it is used."
2. "Show me the definition and type signature of the function at line 42, column 15 in data_processor.py."
3. "List all functions and classes defined in api_handler.go so I can understand the file structure."

Tips & Limitations

This skill uses lazy-loading: daemons start only when requested and time out after 5 minutes, keeping your memory usage efficient. Note that line and column numbers are strictly 1-indexed to match standard editor behavior. Always ensure the relevant language server is installed; the skill will alert you if you attempt to use a command for which no server is configured. This tool does not execute your code; it strictly performs static analysis via the LSP protocol.