Quickstart

Get a version and a file citation from an installed dependency. No account or API key is needed.

Requires Node.js 18+ and npm. The first npx run downloads lockdocs; the sample below also downloads zod. Once installed, its queries run offline.

Try it in a sample project

Run these commands in a terminal to create a separate example project:

mkdir lockdocs-example
cd lockdocs-example
npm init -y
npm install --save-exact zod@4.6.7
npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs resolve
npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs api z.strictObject --pkg zod --offline

resolve should report zod@4.6.7 with docs ready. The API query returns the signature that rejects unknown keys, with its public import and installed file citation:

zod@4.6.7 · npm · node_modules/zod · pinned in package-lock.json
Public import: `zod` · symbol `z.strictObject`

Declaration entrypoint: index.d.cts (types)

### strictObject (function) — zod@4.6.7 v4/classic/schemas.d.cts:531

For a question rather than a symbol, try npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs zod "strictObject" --offline. To add upstream guides, run npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs fetch zod once while online, then reuse them offline. See fetching and downloads.

Use your project

Open a terminal in your project's directory and install its dependencies with its package manager first. Then run:

npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs resolve

Choose a package listed in the output. These examples require zod or tokio respectively; substitute a dependency your project uses:

npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs zod "reject unknown keys"
npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs api tokio::spawn
npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs zod

To query another directory, add -C /absolute/path/to/project. For a faster start, install the CLI with npm i -g @sylphx/lockdocs, then run lockdocs .... See the CLI reference for options.

Add it to your agent

npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs setup

setup detects Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, VS Code Insiders, Claude Desktop, Windsurf and Gemini CLI, writes each one's MCP config, and prints every change. It is idempotent. --dry-run shows what it would do, --remove undoes it, --client cursor,codex limits it, and --fetch registers the server with fetching enabled.

Restart the client, open your project with its dependencies installed, and enable the server. For the sample project above, ask:

Use lockdocs: which version of zod do we use, and what is the signature of z.strictObject? Answer from installed files offline.

The agent calls resolve, then api with package: "zod" and symbol: "z.strictObject". Check that the answer cites zod@4.6.7 and an installed file. For your own project, name one of its dependencies instead.

Cursor and VS Code, one click

· Install in VS Code

Requires Node 18+. Confirm the install in your editor, open your project, and enable the server. Both links run npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs mcp locally; no API key is needed.

For VS Code from a terminal:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"lockdocs","command":"npx","args":["-y","@sylphx/lockdocs","mcp"]}'

Or add the server to .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lockdocs": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@sylphx/lockdocs",
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

For .vscode/mcp.json, use the VS Code servers format:

{
  "servers": {
    "lockdocs": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@sylphx/lockdocs",
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Manual MCP config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lockdocs": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@sylphx/lockdocs", "mcp"] }
  }
}

The server answers for the client's workspace root (from MCP roots), else LOCKDOCS_ROOT, else its working directory. Every tool also accepts root. See Editors and agents for client-specific configuration.

Troubleshooting

What you see	What to do
npx or npm is not found	Install Node.js 18 or newer, which includes npm, then reopen your terminal.
0 direct dependencies or No dependencies found	Run inside the project with its lockfile, or pass -C /absolute/path/to/project. To try lockdocs without an existing project, use the sample above.
A package is not a dependency	Run resolve and choose a listed package. zod and tokio are examples; they must be dependencies of the selected project.
A pinned package is not installed	Run your project's package manager install command. For a lockfile-only checkout, opt in to exact-version package fetching with --fetch.
The answer has few docs or an upstream download fails	Installed files still work. Run fetch for that package while online to add guides, or use --offline to query installed and cached files only.
Your agent cannot see lockdocs	Restart the client after setup, enable its MCP server, and check the client-specific configuration. Use resolve to verify the selected project; pass an absolute root if needed.

Still stuck? Search existing issues or report a problem. Include your lockdocs version (npx -y @sylphx/lockdocs version), operating system, command and error message. Remove private paths and credentials before sharing.