smalltalk-usage-finder

Smalltalk Usage Finder

Discover how Smalltalk classes, methods, and packages are used in practice through systematic analysis of documentation, examples, and real-world code.

Core Analysis Workflows

1. Understanding Class Responsibilities

Goal: Discover what a class does and its intended purpose.

Primary Tool: get_class_comment - The authoritative source for class responsibility.

Workflow:

1. Verify class name (if uncertain): search_classes_like(query)
2. Get class comment: get_class_comment(class_name)
3. Present responsibility clearly

Example:

search_classes_like("Point")
→ ["Point", "PointArray", ...]

get_class_comment("Point")
→ "I represent an x-y pair of numbers usually designating a location on the screen."

Best practice: Always start with the class comment - it's the authoritative documentation.

2. Finding Class Usage Patterns

Goal: Learn how to use a class by examining real examples.

Primary Tools: search_references_to_class, get_method_source, list_methods

Workflow:

1. Check for example methods:
   - list_methods(package) or search_methods_like("example")
   - Filter for "exampleXXX" methods (class-side)
   - get_method_source for each example

2. Find real-world usage:
   - search_references_to_class(class_name)
   - Get source for top 5-10 references
   - Identify common patterns

3. Synthesize usage guide

Example methods convention:

• Class-side methods in examples category
• Named: exampleSimple, example1, exampleWithData
• Best source for learning how to use a class

3. Finding Method Usage

Goal: Understand how a specific method is used in context.

Primary Tools: search_references, get_method_source

Challenge: Polymorphism - same method name in multiple classes.

Workflow:

1. Verify method exists: search_methods_like(method_name)
2. Find all references: search_references(method_name)
3. Filter by context:
   - Get source for each reference
   - Look for variable naming clues (e.g., "aPoint" → Point)
   - Check type comments
4. Present usage with examples