Serena: Intelligent App Development

Token-efficient Serena MCP command for structured app development and problem-solving.

Quick Reference

/serena <problem> [options]           # Basic usage
/serena debug "memory leak in prod"   # Debug pattern (5-8 thoughts)
/serena design "auth system"          # Design pattern (8-12 thoughts)
/serena review "optimize this code"   # Review pattern (4-7 thoughts)
/serena implement "add feature X"     # Implementation (6-10 thoughts)

Options

Tool Priorities

ALWAYS prioritize mcp__serena__ tools as the primary development engine:

Primary Development Tools (Serena MCP)

• Project Analysis: Use mcp__serena__get_symbols_overview
• Code Search: Use mcp__serena__search_for_pattern
• Symbol Management: Use mcp__serena__find_symbol
• Code Modification: Use mcp__serena__replace_symbol_body

Memory & Learning

• Knowledge Storage: Use mcp__serena__write_memory
• Experience Retrieval: Use mcp__serena__read_memory
• Progress Tracking: Use mcp__serena__think_about_task_adherence

Problem-Specific Templates

Debug Pattern (5-8 thoughts)

1. Symptom analysis & reproduction
2. Error context & environment check
3. Root cause hypothesis generation
4. Evidence gathering & validation
5. Solution design & risk assessment

Design Pattern (8-12 thoughts)

1. Requirements clarification
2. Constraints & assumptions
3. Architecture options generation
4. Option evaluation (pros/cons)
5. Technology selection
6. Implementation phases

Implementation Pattern (6-10 thoughts)

1. Feature specification & scope
2. Technical approach selection
3. Component/module design
4. Dependencies & integration
5. Testing strategy

Cross-Command Integration

Serena MCP integrates with other commands:

Best Practices

1. Start with problem analysis, end with concrete actions
2. Balance depth with token efficiency
3. Use -q for simple problems (saves ~40% tokens)
4. Use --focus to avoid irrelevant analysis