PowerShell — 98 Operations for AI Agents
This page is the canonical reference an AI coding agent uses to refactor, query, and analyze PowerShell code through the act MCP server. 98 operations available: 53 refactor, 15 query, 30 analysis. Each operation is callable from Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode, or any MCP-compatible agent host. Click any operation for a stable anchor link suitable for citation.
15Query
53Refactor
30Analysis
Query
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
callers | Find every call site of a function or method across the codebase. Use to understand who depends on a function before changing its signature. Requires LSP. Params: symbol (string) [, file (string)] |
control_flow | Get a function's control flow — branches, loops, early returns, and basic blocks in execution order. Use to understand complex logic without reading the full implementation. Params: target (string), file (string) |
definition | Jump to definition — find where a symbol is defined given a usage location. Uses abstract syntax trees by default, no LSP required. Params: symbol (string), file (string), line (u32), column (u32) |
diagnostics | Get compiler errors and warnings from the language server. Omit `file` for workspace-wide diagnostics. Pass a file path or directory path to scope results. Requires LSP. |
fix_auto | Auto-fix all deterministic issues in a file, directory, or workspace — missing imports, unused imports, simple type errors. Runs multiple fix-revalidate cycles. Use after making changes to clean up automatically. Requires LSP. Params: none [, file (string), workspace_mode (bool), category (string), commit (bool), max_rounds (u32)] |
get_type | Get the compiler-inferred type of any expression at a position. Use to understand types without reading surrounding code. Requires LSP. Params: file (string), line (u32), column (u32) |
graph | Build a dependency graph from a file — trace what it imports and what imports it, across multiple hops. Use to understand module relationships and change impact before refactoring. Params: file (string) [, depth (u32), direction (string), leaves (bool), order (string)] |
import_organize | Organize, sort, and deduplicate imports in a file. Removes unused imports. Use after adding new code or moving symbols to clean up import blocks automatically. Params: file (string) [, preview (bool)] |
interface | Get a symbol's public API — signatures, types, and docstrings without implementation bodies. Like skeleton but for a single symbol. Use to understand how to call something without reading its internals. Params: target (string), file (string) [, include_private (bool)] |
mutations | Identify side effects — what external state a function reads or writes (globals, file I/O, network, etc.). Use to understand if a function is pure or has hidden dependencies. Params: target (string), file (string) |
references | Find every usage of a symbol across the entire codebase — all files, not just the current one. Use before renaming, refactoring, or deleting to understand full impact. Requires LSP. Params: symbol (string), file (string) |
repo_outline | Get a compressed overview of the entire repository in one call — file tree with languages, line counts, and optionally symbol names per file. Orders of magnitude cheaper than listing directories and reading files individually. Params: none [, path (string), depth (u32), include (glob), exclude (glob), symbols (bool), max_files (u32), relative (bool)] |
skeleton | Get a file's structure — function signatures, class declarations, type definitions — without implementation bodies. Use INSTEAD of reading the full file to understand its API. Typically 5-10x fewer tokens than reading the raw file. Params: file (string) |
symbols | List all symbols (functions, classes, variables, types, constants) defined in a file with their locations and kinds. Use INSTEAD of reading a file when you need to know what's defined in it. Much cheaper than reading the full file. IMPORTANT: file must be a path to a single source file — never a directory or empty string. Params: file (string) |
symbols_batch | Retrieve symbols from multiple files in a single call. Use instead of calling symbols() in a loop — one request instead of N. Params: none [, files (string[]), ids (string[]), kinds (string[])] — provide files or ids |
Refactor
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
add-cmdlet-binding | Add [CmdletBinding()] attribute to a function |
add-module-import | Add an Import-Module statement for a given module |
add-null-guard | Add a null check guard before a variable usage |
add-output-type | Add [OutputType()] attribute to a function |
add-parameter-type-constraint | Add a [TypeName] type constraint to a function parameter |
add-requires-statement | Add a #Requires statement at the top of the script |
add-using-module | Add a using module statement for a given module |
change-signature | Modify a function's parameter list and update all call sites |
change-visibility | Change the scope modifier of a variable or function |
comment-out-statement | Comment out one or more lines by prefixing each with # |
convert-alias-to-full-cmdlet | Replace a cmdlet alias with its full cmdlet name |
convert-for-to-foreach | Convert an index-based for loop to a foreach loop |
convert-foreach-to-for | Convert a foreach loop to an index-based for loop |
convert-function-form | Convert between function, filter, and workflow keyword forms |
convert-here-string-to-string-interpolation | Convert a here-string to an inline string interpolation |
convert-if-to-switch | Convert an if/elseif/else chain to a switch statement |
convert-member-access-to-property | Convert a .get_Name() getter call to direct .Name property access |
convert-string-format | Convert string formatting to PowerShell string interpolation |
convert-string-literal-to-here-string | Convert a regular string literal to a PowerShell here-string |
convert-switch-to-if | Convert a switch statement to an if/elseif/else chain |
convert-variable-mutability | Convert a variable between mutable and read-only using Set-Variable |
convert-write-host-to-write-output | Replace Write-Host calls with Write-Output for pipeline compatibility |
expand-string-interpolation | Expand a string interpolation expression into explicit concatenation |
extract-function | Extract a block of code into a new function |
extract-interface | Extract a PowerShell class interface definition |
extract-variable | Extract an expression into a named variable |
extract_function | Extract a code selection into a new function — automatically infers parameters, return types, and inserts the call site. Use instead of manually cutting/pasting code. Works without LSP; LSP improves type inference. Params: file (string), new_name (string), start_line (u32), start_column (u32), end_line (u32), end_column (u32) [, preview (bool)] |
extract_variable | Extract an expression into a named variable — inserts the declaration and replaces the expression with the variable name. Works without LSP. Params: file (string), new_name (string), start_line (u32), start_column (u32), end_line (u32), end_column (u32) [, preview (bool)] |
generate-constructor | Generate a constructor method for a PowerShell class |
generate-equality | Generate Equals() and GetHashCode() for a PowerShell class |
generate-function | Generate a function stub at the cursor position |
generate-help-comment | Generate a PowerShell comment-based help block before a function |
generate-impl-stubs | Generate stub implementations for interface methods in a class |
generate-pester-test | Generate a Pester test scaffold for a function |
generate-property-getter-setter | Generate getter and setter methods for a class property |
generate-tostring | Generate a ToString() override for a PowerShell class |
import-alias | Add or update a New-Alias or Set-Alias for a module import |
inline | Inline a variable, function, or method — replace every usage with its definition body, then remove the original. The inverse of extract. Works without LSP (single-file); LSP enables cross-file inlining. Params: file (string), symbol (string) [, line (u32), preview (bool)] |
inline-function | Inline a function call by replacing it with the function body |
inline-variable | Inline a variable by replacing it with its value at all usages |
insert_body | Replace a function's implementation body with new code. AST-validated — rejects if the result has parse errors, so you can't accidentally break syntax. Use instead of manual text editing for function rewrites. Params: file (string), symbol (string), code (string) [, commit (bool)] |
invert-boolean-condition | Invert a boolean condition in a conditional expression |
move-symbol | Move a function or variable definition to another file |
move_symbol | Move a function, class, or type to a different file and automatically update all imports across the codebase. Use instead of manually cut/paste + fixing imports. Works without LSP (single-file); LSP enables cross-file import updates. Params: file (string), symbol (string), destination (string) [, preview (bool)] |
organize-imports | Sort and deduplicate Import-Module and using statements |
promote-variable-to-parameter | Promote a local variable to a function parameter |
remove-unused-import | Remove an unused Import-Module statement |
rename | Rename a symbol and automatically update ALL references across the codebase. Safer and faster than find-and-replace — AST-aware, won't rename strings or comments. Works without LSP (single-file); LSP enables cross-file renames. Params: file (string), old_name (string), new_name (string) [, line (u32), column (u32), preview (bool)] |
rename-identifier | Rename a variable, function, or cmdlet alias across all references |
set-strict-mode | Add Set-StrictMode -Version Latest to enforce strict variable usage |
simplify-conditional | Simplify a redundant or over-complex conditional expression |
uncomment-statement | Remove the leading # comment marker from one or more lines |
wrap-try-catch | Wrap a block of code in a try/catch error handling block |
Analysis
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
analyze_chokepoints | Find files that act as critical bottlenecks — high betweenness centrality in the dependency graph (R4). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_clusters | Identify tightly coupled groups of files using community detection. Use to discover natural module boundaries and understand which files change together. Params: none [, granularity (string), min_size (u32), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_cohesion | Measure intra-module cohesion for each file — ratio of internal to total symbol edges (H2). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_coupling | Measure coupling per file — how many files depend on it (afferent) vs how many it depends on (efferent), plus instability and abstractness scores. Use to find the most critical/fragile files. Params: none [, granularity (string), sort (string), threshold (f64), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_cycle_risk | Score each circular dependency cycle by its external risk surface (R6 circular risk zones analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_cycles | Find circular dependency chains in the codebase. Use to identify import cycles that cause build issues or indicate architecture problems. Params: none [, granularity (string), max_length (u32), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_dead_code | Find dead code — functions, classes, and types that are never referenced from any entry point. Use before cleanup to safely identify what can be deleted. Params: none [, entry (string[]), granularity (string), include_tests (bool), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_depth | Compute longest transitive dependency chain per file (S4 dependency depth analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_entry_points | Detect entry points: main functions, HTTP routes, CLI commands, event listeners, test files (S5). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_export | Export the full semantic graph (files, symbols, dependencies) in JSON, DOT (Graphviz), or CSV format. Use for visualization or external analysis. Params: none [, format (string), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_extraction | Score clusters for service or package extraction viability (M2 extraction candidates analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_fan_balance | Compute fan-in/fan-out imbalance for migration ordering guidance (M6 fan balance analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_features | Inventory language-specific AST features used in the codebase — async, generics, decorators, etc. (M3). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_hotspots | Rank files by composite complexity score — max cyclomatic complexity, statement count, nesting depth (H1). Params: none [, top_n (u32), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_impact | Compute change impact for a target file — finds all files directly and transitively depending on it (R1). Params: target (string) [, max_depth (u32), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_inconsistencies | Detect inconsistent abstractions — sibling files in the same directory that diverge from the group's structural pattern (H5). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_inheritance | Detect tangled inheritance — deep hierarchies (>N levels) and diamond inheritance (H6). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_interface_bloat | Detect interface bloat — files where the public API is disproportionately large relative to implementation (H3). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_interfaces | Map cross-module interfaces — symbols that cross directory-module boundaries, ranked by interface width (M4). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_layers | Detect architectural layers from directory names and find dependency direction violations (S1+S2). Params: none [, detect_only (bool), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_orphan_types | Find type definitions used exclusively outside their defining directory (H4 orphan types analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_patterns | Find code smells — god functions, deep nesting, high coupling, and other structural issues. Use to identify refactoring targets or assess code quality. Params: none [, tier (string), pattern (string), file (string), severity (string), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_platform_deps | Detect platform-specific API usage by scanning imports (M5 platform dependencies analysis). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_readiness | Compute migration readiness scores per file — composite of complexity, coupling, porting blockers (M1). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_roles | Classify files by architectural role: entry point, routing, business logic, data access, config, test, utility, types, generated (S3). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_seams | Find the natural boundaries between file clusters — the narrowest points where groups of files communicate. Use to identify where to split modules or add API boundaries. Params: none [, min_cluster_size (u32), max_seam_width (u32), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_stability | Compute stability index (R2) and detect stable dependency violations (R3) — flags edges where stable modules depend on unstable ones. Params: none [, index_only (bool), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |
analyze_surface | Measure API surface area — count exposed functions, types, and complexity at a module boundary. Use to assess whether an API is too large or leaky. Params: none [, boundary (string), files (string), include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_test_gaps | Detect source files with no or partial test coverage based on graph import analysis (R5). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. Use include/exclude to restrict the scan scope (e.g. include=["crates"], exclude=["corpus"]). |
analyze_type_completeness | Analyze type boundary completeness — detect 'any' types, untyped parameters, missing return types at exported function boundaries (M7). Params: none [, include (string[]), exclude (string[])]. |