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MCP Tools Reference

Complete tool documentation

MCP Tools Reference: Complete Guide to 90+ Tools

Duration: 10 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is how AI tools communicate with external services. Continuity provides 90+ tools through MCP that your AI assistant can call directly.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    MCP ARCHITECTURE                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                              │
│  Claude Code / Cursor / Cline                                │
│            ↓                                                 │
│       MCP Protocol                                           │
│            ↓                                                 │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐                │
│  │     Continuity MCP Server               │                │
│  │  ├── Decision Tools (15)                │                │
│  │  ├── Session Tools (5)                  │                │
│  │  ├── Context Tools (8)                  │                │
│  │  ├── Code Intelligence (10)             │                │
│  │  ├── Project Analysis (12)              │                │
│  │  ├── Browser/Dev Server (15)            │                │
│  │  ├── Testing Tools (5)                  │                │
│  │  ├── Team Collaboration (20)            │                │
│  │  └── Export/Analytics (10)              │                │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────┘                │
│            ↓                                                 │
│  .continuity/decisions.json                                  │
│                                                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Tool Profiles

Choose how many tools to expose:

ProfileToolsBest For
Core12Basic usage, minimal noise
Standard29Most users, balanced
Full92Power users, all features

Configure in VS Code settings:

json
{
  "continuity.mcpToolProfile": "standard"
}

Decision Tools

Core Decision Operations

ToolPurposeExample
log_decisionCreate new decisionLog why you chose PostgreSQL
search_decisionsFind decisionsSearch for "database"
update_decisionModify existingChange status to deprecated
list_all_decisionsBrowse allGet last 50 decisions

Advanced Decision Tools

ToolPurpose
get_decision_historyVersion history of a decision
search_decisions_semanticPure semantic search (Pro)
get_decisions_by_subjectFilter by topic
get_attention_neededFind stale/outdated decisions

Example: Logging a Decision

output
@continuity log_decision
question="Why did we choose Redis for caching?"
answer="Sub-millisecond reads, built-in TTL, horizontal scaling with Cluster"
tags=["caching", "redis", "infrastructure"]
priority="high"
files=["src/cache/redis-client.ts"]

Session Tools

ToolPurpose
read_session_notesGet current session notes
update_session_notesAdd/modify notes
set_session_subjectSet conversation topic
get_session_subjectGet current topic

Example: Updating Session Notes

output
@continuity update_session_notes
section="blockers"
content="TypeScript errors in auth module after upgrade"
mode="append"

Context Tools

ToolPurpose
get_quick_contextFast project summary
get_project_mapFull project structure
load_context_sectionLoad specific context area
list_context_sectionsSee available sections
optimize_contextReduce token usage
get_token_metricsToken savings stats

Example: Quick Context Load

output
@continuity get_quick_context

Returns:
- Project name and type
- Total decisions (800+)
- Recent 5 decisions
- Session goals
- Known topics

Code Intelligence Tools

ToolPurpose
link_decision_to_codeConnect decision to file/line
unlink_decision_from_codeRemove code link
get_code_linksSee all decision-code mappings
get_decision_impactWhat code is affected by decision
get_code_contextWhat decisions relate to a file
find_symbolFind function/class definition
get_symbol_referencesFind all usages of symbol
get_file_structureExports, functions, classes in file
check_refactoring_safetySafe to modify this file?
check_before_modifyingPre-change safety check

Example: Linking Decision to Code

output
@continuity link_decision_to_code
decisionId="decision-123"
file="src/auth/jwt-handler.ts"
line=45
symbol="validateToken"
symbolType="Function"

Example: Checking Refactoring Safety

output
@continuity check_refactoring_safety
files=["src/core/database.ts", "src/core/cache.ts"]

Returns:
- Safety status
- Linked decisions
- Impact assessment
- Recommendations

Project Analysis Tools

ToolPurpose
get_project_mapDirectory structure, deps, symbols
find_symbolsSearch for code symbols
get_impact_radiusBlast radius of file changes
start_onboarding7-step project analysis

Example: Understanding Impact

output
@continuity get_impact_radius
filePath="src/services/DecisionLogger.ts"

Returns:
- All files that depend on this file
- Transitive dependencies
- Scope of potential breakage

Browser & Dev Server Tools

ToolPurpose
start_dev_serverLaunch npm run dev, vite, etc.
stop_dev_serverStop running server
get_dev_server_statusCheck if server is running
connect_browserConnect to Chrome for debugging
disconnect_browserClose browser connection
get_console_messagesGet browser console output
get_console_errorsGet console.error messages
get_network_errorsGet failed HTTP requests
execute_jsRun JavaScript in browser
inspect_elementGet element properties/styles
take_screenshotCapture page or element
analyze_performanceLighthouse Core Web Vitals
analyze_seoSEO and accessibility audit
detect_bottlenecksFind performance issues

Example: Starting Dev Server

output
@continuity start_dev_server

Auto-detects and runs:
- npm run dev
- vite
- next dev
- etc.

Example: Debugging Console Errors

output
@continuity connect_browser url="http://localhost:3000"
@continuity get_console_errors type="error" limit=10

Testing Tools

ToolPurpose
run_testsExecute test suite
get_test_resultsLatest test results
get_coverage_reportCode coverage stats
find_untested_codeFiles without tests
suggest_test_casesAI test suggestions

Example: Running Tests

output
@continuity run_tests
coverage=true

Returns:
- Passed/failed/skipped counts
- Individual test results
- Coverage percentages

Team Collaboration Tools (Pro)

ToolPurpose
team_registerCreate team account
team_login / team_logoutAuth
team_list / team_create / team_joinTeam management
team_sync_push / team_sync_pullSync decisions
get_team_sync_statusSync health
get_team_membersList members
get_team_analyticsTeam metrics
get_contributor_leaderboardTop contributors
search_cross_repoSearch across repos

Review Workflow Tools (Pro)

ToolPurpose
submit_for_reviewRequest peer review
approve_decisionApprove pending decision
reject_decisionReject with feedback
request_changesAsk for modifications
add_decision_commentThreaded comments
get_pending_reviewsYour review queue
get_workflow_statsApproval metrics

Export & Analytics Tools

ToolPurpose
export_to_pdfGenerate PDF document
export_to_confluencePush to Confluence
export_to_notionCreate Notion database
export_analyticsExport metrics (JSON/CSV/MD)
get_compliance_metricsDecision logging compliance
get_tag_cloudTag visualization data
get_activity_heatmapGitHub-style activity
get_decision_velocityLogging rate over time

Utility Tools

ToolPurpose
get_mcp_logsDebug MCP server
diagnose_licenseCheck license status
get_process_treeRunning processes
get_known_subjectsAll recognized topics
clear_decisionsDelete decisions (Pro, dangerous)

MCP Resources

Besides tools, Continuity exposes resources:

ResourcePurpose
continuity://session-handoffFull project context
continuity://decisionsDecision database
continuity://ai-usage-guideHow to use Continuity
continuity://ai-instructionsReal-time hints

Calling Tools in Different AI Clients

Claude Code

output
@continuity log_decision question="..." answer="..."

Cursor

output
@continuity search_decisions query="authentication"

Cline

output
Use the log_decision tool from @continuity

The syntax varies slightly, but all MCP-compatible tools work the same way.

Tool Usage Patterns

Start of Session

output
1. @continuity get_quick_context
2. @continuity read_session_notes

During Development

output
3. @continuity search_decisions query="relevant topic"
4. @continuity log_decision (when making choices)
5. @continuity update_session_notes (track progress)

End of Session

output
6. @continuity update_session_notes section="next_steps"

Key Takeaways

  1. 90+ tools available through MCP
  2. Tool profiles control which tools are exposed
  3. Core tools handle decisions and context
  4. Pro tools add team, review, analytics
  5. All local - no external API calls

← Session Notes | Pro Features →