Ix CLI
Ix turns a repository into a persistent graph of symbols, calls and imports, and Claude Code or Codex query the structure through MCP
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- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Broad access
Why this level
- The installer adds Node.js, Git, ripgrep and Docker and runs a backend in containers on your machine
- `ix mcp install` changes the configuration of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other clients
- A graph of the repository's source code is stored in a local ArangoDB database
Install
- Works in
Manual install
curl -fsSL https://ix-infra.com/install.sh | shFor macOS and Linux. On Windows: irm https://ix-infra.com/install.ps1 | iex after installing Node.js 22 and Docker Desktop. On an Intel Mac: brew tap and brew install ix.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The installer adds Node.js, Git, ripgrep and Docker and runs a backend in containers on your machine
- `ix mcp install` changes the configuration of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other clients
- A graph of the repository's source code is stored in a local ArangoDB database
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Ix parses a repository with tree-sitter and stores symbols, calls and imports in a graph on your machine. The graph persists between sessions, so an agent does not rebuild the architecture from whatever fits in a prompt. The backend, ArangoDB with a memory layer, runs in Docker by itself, and Ix manages it with `ix status` and `ix docker start`. `ix map .` builds the graph and `ix watch` rebuilds it on change. For questions there are `ix explain`, `ix trace`, `ix impact`, `ix callers` and `ix depends`: each returns a bounded slice about a symbol or flow. The llm output format saves tokens and json is for command chains. `ix view` opens the Compass visualizer. The MCP server starts with `ix mcp`, and `ix mcp install` detects Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw and opencode and registers Ix with each. The skills/ix folder holds a skill that teaches an agent to drive the CLI. Parsing covers 27 languages.
Who it is for. For developers who work on large repositories in Claude Code, Codex or Cursor and want the agent to query code structure from a graph.
Good fit when
- Before changing a function you need its blast radius: `ix impact verify_token` shows what depends on it
- The agent re-searches who calls AuthService every session and spends context on it
- You need an architecture map of a repository: `ix subsystems` and `ix view` show subsystems and links
- You want the most load-bearing code: `ix rank --by dependents --top 10` ranks symbols by dependents
- You want to register a code graph in every installed client with one command: `ix mcp install`
Not a fit when
- The repository is small and plain file search is enough for the agent
- Docker cannot be installed on the machine: the Ix backend runs in containers
- You want a cloud service with no local containers or a database on your machine
- The project's language is not among the 27 supported: the graph will not build fully for it
Example request
Build this project's code graph with ix map and show what breaks if I change verify_tokenLimitations
- Needs Node.js 22 or newer, Git, ripgrep and Docker with Compose. The installer adds what is missing; on Windows Node.js and Docker Desktop must be installed first.
- Prebuilt packages exist for Apple Silicon macOS, Linux on x86-64 and arm64, and Windows x86-64. On an Intel Mac Ix builds from source through Homebrew.
- The backend ships as a released Docker image and is not built from this repository.
- The authors call the 30–99.7 percent token reduction an internal measurement; there is no published benchmark.
- The uninstall script removes the backend together with its data unless IX_KEEP_DATA=1 is set.
How to disable. To disconnect Ix from clients, check registrations with `ix mcp doctor`. Remove Ix entirely with curl -fsSL https://ix-infra.com/uninstall.sh | sh on macOS and Linux or irm https://ix-infra.com/uninstall.ps1 | iex on Windows. Set IX_KEEP_DATA=1 to keep the graph. A Homebrew install is removed with brew uninstall ix.
FAQ
How do I connect Ix to Claude Code?
Run `ix mcp install`: it detects installed clients and registers `ix mcp` with each without overwriting entries it does not own. `ix mcp doctor` checks them. The native plugin installs with /plugin marketplace add ix-infrastructure/ix-claude-plugin and /plugin install ix-memory.
Why is Ix better than plain grep for an agent?
The graph holds real relations: who calls a symbol, what it imports and what depends on it. Commands return a bounded slice for one symbol, and the graph persists between sessions.
What do I need to install for Ix?
The installer adds Node.js 22 or newer, Git, ripgrep and Docker with Compose. You only need a terminal with curl or wget beforehand. On Windows install Node.js and Docker Desktop first.
Which languages does Ix understand?
27 languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C, C++, C#, Go, Ruby, Rust, PHP, Kotlin, Swift, Scala, Bash and HCL. YAML, JSON, TOML, SQL, Dockerfile and Markdown are recognized as data.
How do I cut token use in Ix answers?
Add --format llm to a query: the output becomes compact and line-based for an agent to read. For command chains use --format json.
Discussion
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ix (this entry) | no | 1,137 | ||
| CodeGraph | no | not required | 75,798 | an MCP server with a local code graph, without a separate CLI query set or a visualizer |
| codebase-memory-mcp | no | not required | 47,740 | an MCP server for structural queries, without a Docker backend or an `ix impact` command |
| graphify | no | 137,789 | builds a knowledge graph from project materials, while Ix builds a graph of code calls and imports |
README in short
The project page explains the idea: a repository becomes a graph that an agent queries as it works. It has a block about the separate product Kartr, a quick start, a with and without Ix comparison, a four-step model (map, structure, retrieve, remember) and a diagram of the CLI, MCP server and the Compass visualizer. It continues with client integrations and the skill, install, upgrade and uninstall, a command reference by group, a list of 27 languages and links to detailed references.