rename_symbol

[refactoring]

Renames a C# symbol and its references across the loaded workspace.

Before you use this tool

Writes files by default. An authorized, unambiguous edit with a clear scope can apply directly. Set applyChanges: false for a preview without file writes. Preview when the user requests inspection only, the scope is unclear, or a broad refactor needs inspection.

Try it locally in the Glider playground

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
symbolName	string	Yes	Opaque symbolKey from discovery (preferred), or a simple or fully qualified symbol name.
newName	string	Yes	New name for the symbol.
projectName	string	No	Optional project name to limit symbol search.
applyChanges	boolean	No	If true (default), applies changes to disk. If false, returns a preview diff. Default: `true`
includeDiff	boolean	No	Include unified diff in response. Default is true. Default: `true`
maxDiffChars	number	No	Max diff characters. Use 0 for unlimited. Default is 50000. Default: `50000`
includePerFileDiff	boolean	No	Include diffs in changedFiles independently of includeDiff. File paths and counts remain available when false. Development builds after 13.4.0 default to false; released 13.4.0 defaults to true. Follow the installed schema. Default: `false`
pathStyle	string	No	Path style: 'absolute' (default) or 'relative' (to solution root). Default: `"absolute"`
responseDetail	string	No	compact returns results and actionable state. full adds diagnostic metadata under responseDiagnostics. Default: `"compact"`

Examples

Replace sample paths and symbol keys with values from your workspace.

Rename a class

Arguments 
{
  "symbolName": "OldClassName",
  "newName": "NewClassName"
}

Full MCP request

Full MCP request 
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "rename_symbol",
    "arguments": {
      "symbolName": "OldClassName",
      "newName": "NewClassName"
    }
  }
}

Illustrative response 
{
  "success": true,
  "symbolName": "OldClassName",
  "newName": "NewClassName",
  "symbolKind": "Class",
  "filesChanged": 5,
  "locationsChanged": 12,
  "applied": true,
  "unifiedDiff": "..."
}

Preview without applying

Arguments 
{
  "symbolName": "OldName",
  "newName": "NewName",
  "applyChanges": false
}

Full MCP request

Full MCP request 
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "rename_symbol",
    "arguments": {
      "symbolName": "OldName",
      "newName": "NewName",
      "applyChanges": false
    }
  }
}

Preview a rename by key

Arguments 
{
  "symbolName": "<symbol key from find_code>",
  "newName": "NewName",
  "applyChanges": false
}

Full MCP request

Full MCP request 
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "rename_symbol",
    "arguments": {
      "symbolName": "<symbol key from find_code>",
      "newName": "NewName",
      "applyChanges": false
    }
  }
}

Response Notes

An applied refactor keeps the line endings each file already has. A file that mixes LF and CRLF is written with the ending it uses most. The unified diff normalizes both sides to LF, so it shows the edit and not the endings.

Returns a unified diff of the change set.

Unreleased development builds after 13.4.0 return one unified diff by default; the example uses that contract. Follow the installed schema for supported parameters and defaults. Set includeDiff=false for compact output, with includePerFileDiff=false where supported. Set includePerFileDiff=true only when separate file diffs are needed; it works independently of includeDiff. These controls preserve application state, file metadata, counts, and any diagnostics, errors, conflicts, or limits the tool reports. Results use top-level fields with success. Compact is the default; full adds responseDiagnostics. Both modes retain errors, coverage, partial state, and recovery advice.

For a failed symbol-key request, success=false includes errorCode, parameter, error, and suggestions in compact, full, and batch operation results. Batch keeps a bounded summary outside the requested detail budget. If the hard server limit omits details, failureDetailsOmitted or writeStateOmitted identifies the omission. errorCode is invalid_symbol_key, symbol_not_found, ambiguous_symbol_key, wrong_symbol_kind, source_unavailable, unsupported_symbol, or invalid_arguments. Follow the suggestions for the specific failure. Correct the named selector for invalid_arguments. For symbol_not_found, repeat discovery in the selected workspace and pass a returned key unchanged. An absent identity does not prove that a key is stale.