/outline

name: ast-grep-outline
description: Use when exploring or modifying a codebase and you need a cheap structural map of files, directories, imports, exports, or direct members before reading full source.

Use ast-grep outline

`ast-grep outline` prints a structural map of source code with line numbers: top-level declarations (imports, functions, classes, structs, interfaces, modules, enums) and their direct **members** (fields, methods, constructors, enum variants). It is a local, syntax-only view — cheap enough to run before any full file read.

Read code in stages: find candidate files with search or file names, outline them, then open only the source range the outline points to. Defaults adapt to input: a file shows its local structure with member digests; a directory shows only its exported surface as grouped names.

When To Use It

**Understand a file before editing.** Get a table of contents, dependencies, and public entry points before reading implementation details:

ast-grep outline <file>
ast-grep outline <file> --items imports
ast-grep outline <file> --items exports

**Map an unfamiliar directory.** Scan the public surface of a subtree, then narrow by symbol type when you know what you are looking for:

ast-grep outline <dir> --items exports
ast-grep outline <dir> --type struct,enum,function

**Zoom into a known symbol.** After search finds a likely name, list its members with line numbers instead of reading the whole body:

ast-grep outline <file> --match <symbol> --type class --view expanded

**Trace dependency direction.** Find which files import a package or module to decide where a change belongs:

ast-grep outline <dir> --items imports --view signatures

**Review changed files after editing.** Git tells you what changed; outline summarizes the resulting structure and public surface:

ast-grep outline $(git diff --name-only HEAD) --items exports

Argument Guide

• `--items <KIND>` selects top-level items: `structure` for local declarations,

`exports` for public API, `imports` for dependencies, `all` when import/export edges matter together. The default, `auto`, picks `structure` for a file and `exports` for a directory. No other value is accepted; to keep only functions, classes, or another symbol kind, use `--type`.

• `--view <VIEW>` controls detail, from least to most: `names` for directory

scans, `signatures` for one line per item, `digest` for signatures plus member names, `expanded` for one line per member with its line number. The default, `auto`, picks one from the input path. No other value is accepted.

• `--match <REGEX>` filters top-level items by name or signature. Rust regex,

case-sensitive; it never matches members.

• `--type <TYPE[,TYPE...]>` keeps only some top-level symbol types, such as

`--type class,function`. Member types like `method,field` never match top-level items.

• `--pub-members` hides private members when the view prints members.
• `--json=stream` emits one JSON object per file with precise ranges. Use it

only to pipe or post-process entries; prefer text for navigation.

Limits

`outline` shows local syntax structure. It does not resolve references, infer types, follow re-export chains, or build a call graph. Use `ast-grep run`, `rg`, or compiler-backed tools for those questions, then outline the candidate files they surface.