Code Examples

Code Examples

Get real code snippets from your codebase that demonstrate how patterns are implemented. Essential for AI agents to generate code that matches your conventions.

Overview

Instead of generic examples, drift_code_examples returns actual code from YOUR codebase showing how patterns are used in practice.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    CODE EXAMPLES                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                  │
│  Pattern: "api-rest-controller"                                  │
│                                                                  │
│  Example 1: src/controllers/users.ts:12-45                       │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│  │ @Controller('/api/users')                                   │ │
│  │ export class UsersController {                              │ │
│  │   @Get('/:id')                                              │ │
│  │   async getUser(@Param('id') id: string) {                  │ │
│  │     const user = await this.userService.findById(id);       │ │
│  │     return { data: user, meta: { timestamp: Date.now() } }; │ │
│  │   }                                                         │ │
│  │ }                                                           │ │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                                                                  │
│  Example 2: src/controllers/orders.ts:8-38                       │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│  │ @Controller('/api/orders')                                  │ │
│  │ export class OrdersController {                             │ │
│  │   // Similar pattern...                                     │ │
│  │ }                                                           │ │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

---

MCP Tool

drift_code_examples

drift_code_examples({
  categories: ["api", "auth"],     // Filter by categories
  pattern: "api-rest-controller",  // Specific pattern ID
  maxExamples: 3,                  // Examples per pattern
  contextLines: 10                 // Lines of context
})

Response:

{
  "summary": "api, auth: 6 code examples from 2 patterns.",
  "data": {
    "examples": [
      {
        "patternId": "api-rest-controller",
        "patternName": "REST Controller Pattern",
        "category": "api",
        "file": "src/controllers/users.ts",
        "line": 12,
        "code": ">  12 | @Controller('/api/users')\n   13 | export class UsersController {\n   14 |   @Get('/:id')\n   15 |   async getUser(@Param('id') id: string) {\n   16 |     const user = await this.userService.findById(id);\n   17 |     return { data: user, meta: { timestamp: Date.now() } };\n   18 |   }\n   19 | }",
        "explanation": "REST controller pattern for handling HTTP requests"
      },
      {
        "patternId": "auth-middleware-usage",
        "patternName": "Auth Middleware Pattern",
        "category": "auth",
        "file": "src/middleware/auth.ts",
        "line": 5,
        "code": ">   5 | export const requireAuth = async (req, res, next) => {\n    6 |   // Auth middleware implementation...\n    7 | }",
        "explanation": "Authentication middleware pattern"
      }
    ],
    "patternsFound": 2,
    "examplesReturned": 6
  },
  "hints": {
    "nextActions": [
      "Use these examples as templates for new code",
      "Use drift_pattern_get for more details on specific patterns"
    ],
    "relatedTools": ["drift_pattern_get", "drift_patterns_list"]
  }
}

---

CLI Command

Get Examples by Category

drift export --format ai-context --categories api,auth --snippets

Get Examples for Specific Pattern

drift where api-rest-controller --verbose

---

Use Cases

1. Before Writing New Code

// AI agent workflow
const context = await drift_context({
  intent: "add_feature",
  focus: "user authentication"
});

// Get real examples
const examples = await drift_code_examples({
  categories: ["auth"],
  maxExamples: 3
});

// Now generate code following the examples

2. Learning Codebase Conventions

// New developer wants to understand API patterns
drift_code_examples({
  categories: ["api"],
  maxExamples: 5,
  contextLines: 15
})

3. Code Review Reference

// Reviewer wants to show correct pattern
drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "error-handling-try-catch",
  maxExamples: 2
})

---

Example Output Formats

Minimal (for token efficiency)

drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "api-rest-controller",
  maxExamples: 1,
  contextLines: 5
})

{
  "summary": "1 code examples from 1 patterns.",
  "data": {
    "examples": [{
      "patternId": "api-rest-controller",
      "patternName": "REST Controller Pattern",
      "category": "api",
      "file": "src/controllers/users.ts",
      "line": 12,
      "code": ">  12 | @Controller('/api/users')..."
    }],
    "patternsFound": 1,
    "examplesReturned": 1
  }
}

Detailed (for understanding)

drift_code_examples({
  categories: ["api"],
  maxExamples: 3,
  contextLines: 15
})

Returns more context lines around each pattern match with explanations.

---

Integration with drift_context

The drift_context tool can guide you to relevant examples:

drift_context({
  intent: "add_feature",
  focus: "REST endpoint"
})

Then use drift_code_examples for detailed snippets:

// After getting pattern IDs from drift_context
drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "api-rest-controller",
  maxExamples: 3
})

---

Best Practices

1. Start with drift_context

// This gives you pattern IDs
const context = await drift_context({ intent: "add_feature", focus: "auth" });

// Then get detailed examples
const examples = await drift_code_examples({
  pattern: context.relevantPatterns[0].id
});

2. Use Category Filtering

// Don't request all categories
drift_code_examples({ categories: ["api"] })  // ✅ Good

// Avoid
drift_code_examples({})  // ❌ Too broad, wastes tokens

3. Limit Examples

// Usually 2-3 examples are enough
drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "error-handling",
  maxExamples: 3  // ✅ Sufficient
})

4. Adjust Context Lines

// More context for complex patterns
drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "transaction-patterns",
  contextLines: 20  // Need more context for transactions
})

// Less context for simple patterns
drift_code_examples({
  pattern: "log-levels",
  contextLines: 5  // Simple pattern, less context needed
})

---

Next Steps

• Similar Code Search — Find semantically similar code
• Pattern Categories — All 15 categories
• MCP Tools Reference — All 50 tools