Run commands from inside a mapped repository. Each command’s full list of options, accepted values and defaults is in
the flag reference. ix <command> --help prints the same from the CLI.
These commands combine several graph queries into one bounded answer. Reach for them first.
| Command |
Answers |
Example |
ix overview <target> |
A one-shot structural summary |
ix overview IngestionService |
ix explain <symbol> |
What this is and what it touches |
ix explain IngestionService |
ix impact <target> |
What breaks if this changes |
ix impact UserService |
ix context [target] |
A bounded, deterministic context bundle |
ix context IngestionService |
ix rank |
Which code carries the most weight |
ix rank --by dependents --kind class --top 10 |
ix inventory |
Everything of a kind, scoped |
ix inventory --kind function --path auth.py |
| Command |
Answers |
Example |
ix search <term> |
Which entities match this name |
ix search IngestionService --kind class --limit 10 |
ix locate <symbol> |
Where this is defined (graph + text) |
ix locate AuthProvider --kind class |
ix text <term> |
Where this text appears (ripgrep) |
ix text "verify_token" --language python --limit 20 |
ix read <target> |
The source of a symbol, file or range |
ix read src/auth.py:10-50 |
ix entity <id> |
Full details of one entity |
ix entity <id> |
| Command |
Answers |
Example |
ix callers <symbol> |
What calls this |
ix callers verify_token |
ix callees <symbol> |
What this calls |
ix callees processPayment |
ix trace <symbol> |
How a flow moves, up and down |
ix trace user_login_flow |
ix contains <symbol> |
The members of a class or module |
ix contains IngestionService |
ix imports <symbol> |
What this imports |
ix imports auth_provider.py |
ix imported-by <symbol> |
What imports this |
ix imported-by AuthProvider |
ix depends <symbol> |
Transitive dependents |
ix depends verify_token --depth 2 |
| Command |
Answers |
Example |
ix history <target> |
How an entity changed |
ix history <entity-id> |
ix diff <from> <to> |
What changed between two graph revisions |
ix diff 1 5 --summary |
ix conflicts |
Contradictions in the graph |
ix conflicts |
ix patches |
The patches that built the graph |
ix patches |
| Command |
Answers |
Example |
ix smells |
Structural issues |
ix smells |
ix subsystems [target] |
Subsystem scores |
ix subsystems --level 2 |
ix stats |
Graph statistics |
ix stats |
| Command |
Does |
Example |
ix map [path] |
Map a repository |
ix map . |
ix watch |
Re-map on every change |
ix watch |
ix ingest [path] |
Ingest files, or GitHub data |
ix ingest --github owner/repo --limit 50 |
ix ingest <path> writes to the workspace the path belongs to: the registered workspace containing it, else its
git repository. A file or directory inside that workspace refreshes just that part of it, and the rest of the
workspace is left alone. A path outside every workspace and repository is ingested as a workspace of its own.
ix ingest honors --exclude <glob> and an .ixignore file at the workspace root. .ixignore supports a subset of
.gitignore syntax: # comments, *, ?, **, a leading / to anchor to the root, a trailing / for
directories, and bare names that match at any depth. There is no ! negation.
ix ingest <path> and ix map take the same per-workspace lock. A run that finds it held does not run beside
the holder: it asks the holder for one more pass, prints a note (or {"coalesced": true, ...} with
--format json) and exits 0, or with IX_MAP_COALESCE_EXIT_CODE if that is set. The holder runs that pass
before it exits: ix map re-ingests the workspace, and so does ix ingest when the workspace has been mapped.
| Command |
Does |
ix status |
Checks the backend is reachable |
ix doctor |
Checks server, database and graph integrity |
ix docker start / stop / restart |
Starts, stops or restarts the local backend containers |
ix docker start --local-token |
Makes the local backend require a bearer token, which the CLI stores and sends (--no-local-token turns it off). See Local token |
ix docker status / logs |
Shows container health, or tails the backend’s logs |
ix view |
Opens the Compass visualizer |
ix mcp |
Runs the MCP server. ix mcp install registers it with your clients |
ix config show / get / set |
Reads and writes configuration |
ix config prune |
Removes registered workspaces whose directory no longer exists (--dry-run lists them) |
ix savings |
Reports tokens saved against reading files directly. --detail breaks it down by command |
ix savings reset |
Clears the saved totals. Can’t be undone |
ix help [topic] |
Help on a command, or the workflows and advanced topics |
ix upgrade |
Upgrades the CLI, backend and components. --check only looks |
ix reset |
Clears graph data in every workspace. Re-map each repository afterwards |
Some commands (plan, plans, task, tasks, workflow, decide, decisions, goal, goals, truth, bug and
briefing) belong to Ix Pro. Without Pro they print The '<name>' command requires Ix Pro. Everything else on this
page is open source.
ix query returns oversized, low-signal answers. Use the targeted commands above instead.ix init is replaced by ix map ..
