serena-usage

Serena Usage

Effective usage of the Serena MCP Server for project memory management, code intelligence, and maintaining continuity across AI agent sessions.

• Leverage native parallel subagent dispatch and 200k+ context windows where available.

Activation Conditions

Use symptom -> action triggers: when one matches, apply this skill and verify with the protocol below.

MUST activate when:

• Serena is available for the project
• Task requires project memory continuity
• Task requires symbol navigation or Serena refactoring workflow
• Managing project memories for AI session continuity
• Navigating codebases using symbol-based tools
• Performing code refactoring with Serena's symbol management
• Setting up Serena onboarding for new projects
• Using Serena's memory system for project context preservation

Critical: Always verify project activation FIRST with get_current_config before any Serena operations

Prerequisites

• Serena MCP Server configured and running
• Project activated (use get_current_config to verify, or activate_project if not activated)
• Onboarding completed for the target project (use check_onboarding_performed first)
• If not activated, run activate_project with project name or path
• If not onboarded, run onboarding tool after activation

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Onboarding Workflow

First-Time Project Setup

1. Check activation: Call get_current_config to verify if project is activated
2. Activate if needed: If not activated, call activate_project with project name or path
3. Check onboarding: Call check_onboarding_performed to verify onboarding status
4. Read manual: If not onboarded, call initial_instructions to read the Serena Instructions Manual
5. Initialize: Call onboarding to complete project setup
6. Serena analyzes the project structure and creates initial context

What Onboarding Captures

• Project language and framework detection
• Directory structure analysis
• Key file identification
• Symbol index creation
• Initial memory scaffolding