PatrickSys · PatrickSys · Feb 21, 2026 · Feb 21, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 - **Index versioning (Phase 06)**: Index artifacts are versioned via `index-meta.json`. Mixed-version indexes are never served; version mismatches or corruption trigger automatic rebuild.
 - **Crash-safe rebuilds (Phase 06)**: Full rebuilds write to `.staging/` and swap atomically only on success. Failed rebuilds don't corrupt the active index.
 - **Relationship sidecar (Phase 07)**: New `relationships.json` artifact containing file import graph, reverse imports, and symbol export index. Updated incrementally alongside the main index.
+- **References confidence + hints (Phase 08)**: `get_symbol_references` now includes `confidence: "syntactic"` and `isComplete: boolean` to help agents assess result completeness. `search_codebase` results now include a structured `hints` object (capped callers/consumers/tests ranked by frequency) drawn from the relationships sidecar. `get_component_usage` removed from MCP surface (11→10 tools).
 - Tree-sitter-backed symbol extraction is now used by the Generic analyzer when available (with safe fallbacks).
 - Expanded language/extension detection to improve indexing coverage (e.g. `.pyi`, `.php`, `.kt`/`.kts`, `.cc`/`.cxx`, `.cs`, `.swift`, `.scala`, `.toml`, `.xml`).
 - New tool: `get_symbol_references` for concrete symbol usage evidence (usageCount + top snippets).

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ This is where it all comes together. One call returns:
 - **Code results** with `file` (path + line range), `summary`, `score`
 - **Type** per result: compact `componentType:layer` (e.g., `service:data`) — helps agents orient
 - **Pattern signals** per result: `trend` (Rising/Declining — Stable is omitted) and `patternWarning` when using legacy code
-- **Relationships** per result: `importedByCount` and `hasTests` (condensed)
+- **Relationships** per result: `importedByCount` and `hasTests` (condensed) + **hints** (capped ranked callers, consumers, tests)
 - **Related memories**: up to 3 team decisions, gotchas, and failures matched to the query
 - **Search quality**: `ok` or `low_confidence` with confidence score and `hint` when low
 - **Preflight**: `ready` (boolean) + `reason` when evidence is thin. Pass `intent="edit"` to get the full preflight card. If search quality is low, `ready` is always `false`.
@@ -137,7 +137,11 @@ Snippets are opt-in (`includeSnippets: true`). Default output is lean — if the
       "score": 0.72,
       "type": "service:core",
       "trend": "Rising",
-      "relationships": { "importedByCount": 4, "hasTests": true }
+      "relationships": { "importedByCount": 4, "hasTests": true },
+      "hints": {
+        "callers": ["src/app.module.ts", "src/boot.ts"],
+        "tests": ["src/auth/auth.interceptor.spec.ts"]
+      }
     }
   ],
   "relatedMemories": ["Always use HttpInterceptorFn (0.97)"]
@@ -165,19 +169,18 @@ Record a decision once. It surfaces automatically in search results and prefligh
 
 ### All Tools
 
-| Tool                           | What it does                                                                              |
-| ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `search_codebase`              | Hybrid search with enrichment + preflight. Pass `intent="edit"` for edit readiness check. |
-| `get_team_patterns`            | Pattern frequencies, golden files, conflict detection                                     |
-| `get_symbol_references`        | Find concrete references to a symbol (usageCount + top snippets)                          |
-| `get_component_usage`          | "Find Usages" - where a library or component is imported                                  |
-| `remember`                     | Record a convention, decision, gotcha, or failure                                         |
-| `get_memory`                   | Query team memory with confidence decay scoring                                           |
-| `get_codebase_metadata`        | Project structure, frameworks, dependencies                                               |
-| `get_style_guide`              | Style guide rules for the current project                                                 |
-| `detect_circular_dependencies` | Import cycles between files                                                               |
-| `refresh_index`                | Re-index (full or incremental) + extract git memories                                     |
-| `get_indexing_status`          | Progress and stats for the current index                                                  |
+| Tool                           | What it does                                                                                |
+| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `search_codebase`              | Hybrid search with enrichment + preflight + ranked relationship hints. Pass `intent="edit"` for edit readiness check. |
+| `get_team_patterns`            | Pattern frequencies, golden files, conflict detection                                      |
+| `get_symbol_references`        | Find concrete references to a symbol (usageCount + top snippets + confidence + completeness) |
+| `remember`                     | Record a convention, decision, gotcha, or failure                                          |
+| `get_memory`                   | Query team memory with confidence decay scoring                                            |
+| `get_codebase_metadata`        | Project structure, frameworks, dependencies                                                |
+| `get_style_guide`              | Style guide rules for the current project                                                  |
+| `detect_circular_dependencies` | Import cycles between files                                                                |
+| `refresh_index`                | Re-index (full or incremental) + extract git memories                                      |
+| `get_indexing_status`          | Progress and stats for the current index                                                   |
 
 ## Evaluation Harness (`npm run eval`)
 

diff --git a/docs/capabilities.md b/docs/capabilities.md
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ Technical reference for what `codebase-context` ships today. For the user-facing
 
 ## Tool Surface
 
-11 MCP tools + 1 optional resource (`codebase://context`).
+10 MCP tools + 1 optional resource (`codebase://context`).
 
 ### Core Tools
 
-| Tool                    | Input                                                             | Output                                                                                                                                                                               |
-| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `search_codebase`       | `query`, optional `intent`, `limit`, `filters`, `includeSnippets` | Ranked results (`file`, `summary`, `score`, `type`, `trend`, `patternWarning`) + `searchQuality` (with `hint` when low confidence) + `preflight` ({ready, reason}). Snippets opt-in. |
+| Tool                    | Input                                                             | Output                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
+| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `search_codebase`       | `query`, optional `intent`, `limit`, `filters`, `includeSnippets` | Ranked results (`file`, `summary`, `score`, `type`, `trend`, `patternWarning`, `relationships`, `hints`) + `searchQuality` (with `hint` when low confidence) + `preflight` ({ready, reason}). Hints capped at 3 per category. |
 | `get_team_patterns`     | optional `category`                                               | Pattern frequencies, trends, golden files, conflicts                                                                                                                                 |
-| `get_symbol_references` | `symbol`, optional `limit`                                        | Concrete symbol usage evidence: total `usageCount` + top usage snippets                                                                                                              |
-| `get_component_usage`   | `name` (import source)                                            | Files importing the given package/module                                                                                                                                             |
+| `get_symbol_references` | `symbol`, optional `limit`                                        | Concrete symbol usage evidence: `usageCount` + top usage snippets + `confidence` ("syntactic") + `isComplete` boolean                                                                |
 | `remember`              | `type`, `category`, `memory`, `reason`                            | Persists to `.codebase-context/memory.json`                                                                                                                                          |
 | `get_memory`            | optional `category`, `type`, `query`, `limit`                     | Memories with confidence decay scoring                                                                                                                                               |
 
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ Ordered by execution:
 6. **Contamination control** — test file filtering for non-test queries.
 7. **File deduplication** — best chunk per file.
 8. **Stage-2 reranking** — cross-encoder (`Xenova/ms-marco-MiniLM-L-6-v2`) triggers when the score between the top files are very close. CPU-only, top-10 bounded.
-9. **Result enrichment** — compact type (`componentType:layer`), pattern momentum (`trend` Rising/Declining only, Stable omitted), `patternWarning`, condensed relationships (`importedByCount`/`hasTests`), related memories (capped to 3), search quality assessment with `hint` when low confidence.
+9. **Result enrichment** — compact type (`componentType:layer`), pattern momentum (`trend` Rising/Declining only, Stable omitted), `patternWarning`, condensed relationships (`importedByCount`/`hasTests`), structured hints (capped callers/consumers/tests ranked by frequency), related memories (capped to 3), search quality assessment with `hint` when low confidence.
 
 ### Defaults
 

diff --git a/src/core/symbol-references.ts b/src/core/symbol-references.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ interface SymbolReferencesSuccess {
   symbol: string;
   usageCount: number;
   usages: SymbolUsage[];
+  confidence: 'syntactic';
+  isComplete: boolean;
 }
 
 interface SymbolReferencesError {
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ export async function findSymbolReferences(
     status: 'success',
     symbol: normalizedSymbol,
     usageCount,
-    usages
+    usages,
+    confidence: 'syntactic',
+    isComplete: usageCount < normalizedLimit
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/tools/get-symbol-references.ts b/src/tools/get-symbol-references.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ export async function handle(
             status: 'success',
             symbol: result.symbol,
             usageCount: result.usageCount,
-            usages: result.usages
+            usages: result.usages,
+            confidence: result.confidence,
+            isComplete: result.isComplete
           },
           null,
           2

diff --git a/src/tools/index.ts b/src/tools/index.ts
@@ -9,14 +9,13 @@ import { definition as d4, handle as h4 } from './refresh-index.js';
 import { definition as d5, handle as h5 } from './get-style-guide.js';
 import { definition as d6, handle as h6 } from './get-team-patterns.js';
 import { definition as d7, handle as h7 } from './get-symbol-references.js';
-import { definition as d8, handle as h8 } from './get-component-usage.js';
-import { definition as d9, handle as h9 } from './detect-circular-dependencies.js';
-import { definition as d10, handle as h10 } from './remember.js';
-import { definition as d11, handle as h11 } from './get-memory.js';
+import { definition as d8, handle as h8 } from './detect-circular-dependencies.js';
+import { definition as d9, handle as h9 } from './remember.js';
+import { definition as d10, handle as h10 } from './get-memory.js';
 
 import type { ToolContext, ToolResponse } from './types.js';
 
-export const TOOLS: Tool[] = [d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9, d10, d11];
+export const TOOLS: Tool[] = [d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9, d10];
 
 export async function dispatchTool(
   name: string,
@@ -38,14 +37,12 @@ export async function dispatchTool(
       return h6(args, ctx);
     case 'get_symbol_references':
       return h7(args, ctx);
-    case 'get_component_usage':
-      return h8(args, ctx);
     case 'detect_circular_dependencies':
-      return h9(args, ctx);
+      return h8(args, ctx);
     case 'remember':
-      return h10(args, ctx);
+      return h9(args, ctx);
     case 'get_memory':
-      return h11(args, ctx);
+      return h10(args, ctx);
     default:
       return {
         content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify({ error: `Unknown tool: ${name}` }) }],

diff --git a/src/tools/search-codebase.ts b/src/tools/search-codebase.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import type { ToolContext, ToolResponse } from './types.js';
 import { CodebaseSearcher } from '../core/search.js';
+import type { SearchResult } from '../types/index.js';
 import { buildEvidenceLock } from '../preflight/evidence-lock.js';
 import { shouldIncludePatternConflictCategory } from '../preflight/query-scope.js';
 import {
@@ -297,24 +298,28 @@ export async function handle(
     }
   }
 
-  // Enrich a search result with relationship data
-  function enrichResult(r: any): any | undefined {
-    const rPath = r.filePath;
+  // Build relationship hints with capped arrays ranked by importedByCount
+  interface RelationshipHints {
+    relationships?: {
+      importedByCount?: number;
+      hasTests?: boolean;
+    };
+    hints?: {
+      callers?: string[];
+      consumers?: string[];
+      tests?: string[];
+    };
+  }
 
-    // importedBy: files that import this result (reverse lookup)
-    const importedBy: string[] = [];
+  function buildRelationshipHints(result: SearchResult): RelationshipHints {
+    const rPath = result.filePath;
+
+    // importedBy: files that import this result (reverse lookup), collect with counts
+    const importedByMap = new Map<string, number>();
     for (const [dep, importers] of reverseImports) {
       if (dep.endsWith(rPath) || rPath.endsWith(dep)) {
-        importedBy.push(...importers);
-      }
-    }
-
-    // imports: files this result depends on (forward lookup)
-    const imports: string[] = [];
-    if (importsGraph) {
-      for (const [file, deps] of Object.entries<string[]>(importsGraph)) {
-        if (file.endsWith(rPath) || rPath.endsWith(file)) {
-          imports.push(...deps);
+        for (const importer of importers) {
+          importedByMap.set(importer, (importedByMap.get(importer) || 0) + 1);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -334,16 +339,50 @@ export async function handle(
       }
     }
 
-    // Only return if we have at least one piece of data
-    if (importedBy.length === 0 && imports.length === 0 && testedIn.length === 0) {
-      return undefined;
+    // Build condensed relationships
+    const condensedRel: Record<string, number | boolean> = {};
+    if (importedByMap.size > 0) {
+      condensedRel.importedByCount = importedByMap.size;
+    }
+    if (testedIn.length > 0) {
+      condensedRel.hasTests = true;
     }
 
-    return {
-      ...(importedBy.length > 0 && { importedBy }),
-      ...(imports.length > 0 && { imports }),
-      ...(testedIn.length > 0 && { testedIn })
-    };
+    // Build hints object with capped arrays
+    const hintsObj: Record<string, string[]> = {};
+
+    // Rank importers by count descending, cap at 3
+    if (importedByMap.size > 0) {
+      const sortedCallers = Array.from(importedByMap.entries())
+        .sort((a, b) => b[1] - a[1])
+        .slice(0, 3)
+        .map(([file]) => file);
+      hintsObj.callers = sortedCallers;
+      hintsObj.consumers = sortedCallers; // Same data, different label
+    }
+
+    // Cap tests at 3
+    if (testedIn.length > 0) {
+      hintsObj.tests = testedIn.slice(0, 3);
+    }
+
+    // Return both condensed and hints (hints only included if non-empty)
+    const output: RelationshipHints = {};
+    if (Object.keys(condensedRel).length > 0) {
+      output.relationships = condensedRel as {
+        importedByCount?: number;
+        hasTests?: boolean;
+      };
+    }
+    if (Object.keys(hintsObj).length > 0) {
+      output.hints = hintsObj as {
+        callers?: string[];
+        consumers?: string[];
+        tests?: string[];
+      };
+    }
+
+    return output;
   }
 
   const searchQuality = assessSearchQuality(query, results);
@@ -600,19 +639,7 @@ export async function handle(
             },
             ...(preflightPayload && { preflight: preflightPayload }),
             results: results.map((r) => {
-              const relationships = enrichResult(r);
-              // Condensed relationships: importedBy count + hasTests flag
-              const condensedRel = relationships
-                ? {
-                    ...(relationships.importedBy &&
-                      relationships.importedBy.length > 0 && {
-                        importedByCount: relationships.importedBy.length
-                      }),
-                    ...(relationships.testedIn &&
-                      relationships.testedIn.length > 0 && { hasTests: true })
-                  }
-                : undefined;
-              const hasCondensedRel = condensedRel && Object.keys(condensedRel).length > 0;
+              const relationshipsAndHints = buildRelationshipHints(r);
 
               return {
                 file: `${r.filePath}:${r.startLine}-${r.endLine}`,
@@ -621,7 +648,8 @@ export async function handle(
                 ...(r.componentType && r.layer && { type: `${r.componentType}:${r.layer}` }),
                 ...(r.trend && r.trend !== 'Stable' && { trend: r.trend }),
                 ...(r.patternWarning && { patternWarning: r.patternWarning }),
-                ...(hasCondensedRel && { relationships: condensedRel }),
+                ...(relationshipsAndHints.relationships && { relationships: relationshipsAndHints.relationships }),
+                ...(relationshipsAndHints.hints && { hints: relationshipsAndHints.hints }),
                 ...(includeSnippets && r.snippet && { snippet: r.snippet })
               };
             }),