# Se Dev Server Code

> Allows reading the decompiled C# code of the Space Engineers Dedicated Server

- Skill: `cometworks/se-dev-server-code` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 47 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cometworks/se-dev-server-code`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cometworks/se-dev-server-code/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: cometworks (https://skillmd.com/u/cometworks)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cometworks/se-dev-server-code

---


# SE Dev Server Code Skill

Allows reading the decompiled C# code of the Space Engineers Dedicated Server. Server "game logic" is largely the same as game (client) runs. Entry point (main executable), some aspects of logging and configuration differ. Also, some libraries are not used by server, but they may still present to provide necessary data structures and some backend functionality.

**⚠️ CRITICAL: Commands run in a UNIX shell. Use bash syntax. On Windows this is BusyBox; on Linux use the native shell.**

Examples:
- ✅ `test -f file.txt && echo exists`
- ✅ `ls -la | head -10`
- ❌ `if exist file.txt (echo exists)` - This will NOT work

**Actions:**

- **prepare**: Run the one-time preparation (`Prepare.bat` on Windows, `prepare.sh` on Linux)
- **bash**: Run UNIX shell commands (busybox on Windows, native shell on Linux)
- **search**: Run code searches using `search_server_code.py`
- **test**: Test this skill by running `test_search_server_code.bat` on Windows or `test_search_server_code.sh` on Linux

## Routing Decision

Check these patterns **in order** - first match wins:

| Priority | Pattern | Example | Route |
|----------|---------|---------|-------|
| 1 | Empty or bare invocation | `se-dev-server-code` | Show this help |
| 2 | Prepare keywords | `se-dev-server-code prepare`, `se-dev-server-code setup`, `se-dev-server-code init` | prepare |
| 3 | Bash/shell keywords | `se-dev-server-code bash`, `se-dev-server-code grep`, `se-dev-server-code cat` | bash |
| 4 | Search keywords | `se-dev-server-code search`, `se-dev-server-code find class`, `se-dev-server-code lookup` | search |
| 5 | Test keywords | `se-dev-server-code test`, `se-dev-server-code verify`, `se-dev-server-code check` | test |

## Requirements

Host system must have the following on `PATH`:

- **Python** 3.11 or newer
- **git** command line client (used to version each decompiled server build)
- **dotnet** SDK (for installing `ilspycmd`)

## Getting Started

**⚠️ CRITICAL: Before running ANY commands, read [CommandExecution.md](CommandExecution.md) to avoid common mistakes that cause command failures.**

If `Prepare.DONE` file is missing in this folder, you MUST run one-time preparation steps first. See the [prepare action](./actions/prepare.md).

If server auto-detection fails, set `SE_SERVER_ROOT` before running preparation script. May point to either dedicated server root or directly to `DedicatedServer64` directory.

## Folder Layout

After preparation the skill folder contains a `Data` junction/symlink. Actual data lives outside the skill folder so it is preserved across `Clean.bat` / `Prepare.bat` / `prepare.sh` cycles.

```
skills/se-dev-server-code/
├── Data/                 (junction/symlink → per-user persistent server-code data)
│   ├── .git/             local Git repository tracking decompiled sources
│   ├── .gitignore        ignores CodeIndex/, graphify-out/, __pycache__, *.py[cod], *.bak, *.log
│   ├── game_version.txt  recorded SE_VERSION / CLIENT_BUILD_NUMBER / SERVER_BUILD_NUMBER
│   ├── server_files.json SHA256 of every original server file (committed - diffable)
│   ├── Decompiled/       decompiled C# sources only, organised per assembly (committed)
│   ├── Content/          textual server content (committed - definition changes reviewable)
│   ├── CodeIndex/        CSV indexes (NOT committed - regenerated)
│   └── graphify-out/     Graphify graph of Decompiled/ (NOT committed - regenerated)
├── Bin64/                (junction/symlink → server's DedicatedServer64, removed after preparation)
└── ...                   skill scripts and documentation
```

The `Data` folder is a junction/symlink to per-user persistent server-code data directory (`%USERPROFILE%\.se-dev\server-code` on Windows, `~/.se-dev/server-code` on Linux). Treat `Data/Decompiled`, `Data/Content` and `Data/CodeIndex` exactly as before.

## Graphify Graph

Preparation builds a separate Graphify graph for decompiled server code under
`Data/Decompiled` (or `SE_DEV_SERVER_CODE_GRAPH_ROOT`). The graph is written beside the
graphed tree, to `Data/graphify-out` (or `SE_DEV_SERVER_CODE_GRAPH_OUT`), so `Data/Decompiled`
holds nothing but decompiled C# code. Prepare installs Graphify on
**Python 3.12 with the fast native Rust Leiden clustering backend** and, when that backend
is available (needs `uv`), builds the graph **automatically** in ~1-2 minutes. Where the
fast backend cannot be provisioned it falls back to the slow single-core clustering
(~10-30 minutes) and stays **opt-in** with `SE_DEV_GRAPHIFY=1` (ask the user first);
`SE_DEV_GRAPHIFY=0` disables it. Read these on demand — skip them for normal search work:

- Build / health-check / rebuild: [GraphifyPrepare.md](../se-dev/GraphifyPrepare.md)
- Query an existing graph: [GraphifyUsage.md](../se-dev/GraphifyUsage.md)

Health check and query test (only meaningful once a graph is built):

```bash
bash ../se-dev/graphify-check.sh Data --deep   # is the graph usable?
./test_graphify_server_code.sh                            # run a few graph queries
```

## Local Versioning of Decompiled Sources

The `Data` folder is a local Git repository. Every successful preparation creates a commit of the decompiled C# sources whose message is server version label, e.g. `1.208.015 b4`.

This means:

- **All previously decompiled server versions are preserved** in local Git history. You can `git checkout` any past commit inside `Data/` to inspect or diff against older build.
- **Server updates are detected automatically** by comparing binaries' embedded version constants with `Data/game_version.txt`. If they differ (or file is missing), `Decompiled/`, `Content/`, `CodeIndex/`, `graphify-out/` and `server_files.json` are wiped and fresh decompilation runs.
- This makes it easy to **update plugins, mods and scripts for compatibility with new server releases**: diff the relevant source between two commits inside `Data/` to see exactly what changed.

Repository uses internal author/email (`se-dev-skills@localhost`) so commits work even on machines without configured global Git identity.

## Original Server File Hashes

Preparation also records SHA256 of **every** file in the Space Engineers Dedicated Server install into
`Data/server_files.json` (path relative to install root → lower-case hex digest,
alphabetically sorted, one pair per line) and commits it under the version label.
Diffing it between two version commits shows exactly which binaries a game update
changed — including assets that are neither assemblies nor text, so they appear in
neither `Data/Decompiled` nor `Data/Content`.

Verify an install against the recorded digests with `./verify_server_files.sh` (Linux) or
`.\VerifyServerFiles.bat` (Windows). Read [ServerFileHashes.md](ServerFileHashes.md) for the file format,
the diffing recipe and the verification output.

## Essential Documentation

- **[CommandExecution.md](CommandExecution.md)** - ⚠️ **READ THIS FIRST** - Windows command execution details; on Linux keep bash syntax and use `prepare.sh`

## Code Search Documentation

- **[QuickStart.md](QuickStart.md)** - More examples and quick reference
- **[CodeSearch.md](CodeSearch.md)** - Complete guide to searching classes, methods, fields, etc.
- **[HierarchySearch.md](HierarchySearch.md)** - Finding class/interface inheritance and implementations
- **[Advanced.md](Advanced.md)** - Power user techniques for complex searches
- **[Troubleshooting.md](Troubleshooting.md)** - What to do when searches return NO-MATCHES or too many results
- **[ServerFileHashes.md](ServerFileHashes.md)** - SHA256 digests of the original server files: format, diffing across game versions, verifying an install
- **[Implementation.md](Implementation.md)** - Technical details for skill contributors (optional)

## Quick Search Examples

```bash
# Find class declarations
uv run search_server_code.py class declaration MyCubeBlock

# Find method signatures
uv run search_server_code.py method signature UpdateBeforeSimulation

# Find class hierarchy
uv run search_server_code.py class children MyTerminalBlock

# Count results before viewing (useful for large result sets)
uv run search_server_code.py class usage MyEntity --count

# Limit number of results
uv run search_server_code.py class usage MyEntity --limit 10

# Paginate through results
uv run search_server_code.py class usage MyEntity --limit 10 --offset 0
uv run search_server_code.py class usage MyEntity --limit 10 --offset 20
```

Always check the server code when:
- You're unsure about server's internal APIs and how to interface with them.
- Inner workings of the Space Engineers Dedicated Server is unclear.

## Custom Scripting

For building your own utility scripts to work with the indexes and decompiled code:

- **[ScriptingGuide.md](ScriptingGuide.md)** - How to write Python scripts, use BusyBox, handle Windows paths

## Server Content Data

Textual part of server's `Content` is copied into `Data/Content` folder for free text search:
- Language translations, including string IDs
- Block and other entity definitions
- Default blueprints and scenarios
- See [ContentTypes.md](ContentTypes.md) for full list of content types

### Content Index

`Data/CodeIndex/content_index.csv` maps every textual content file to decompiled C#
source files that reference it. Columns: `rel_path` (path relative to `Data/Content/`)
and `usage` (path of a C# source file in `Data/Decompiled/` that references it). Each
content file appears once per usage, so you can filter and page by `rel_path` to see
all C# code that loads or references a given content file. Files with no known usages
have single row with empty `usage` column.

## Running the Dedicated Server

Server executable is `SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe` in the `DedicatedServer64` folder.

### Headless Mode (No UI)

```
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe -console
```

Bypasses Telerik WinForms configuration UI and runs server directly.

### Configuration

Server is configured via XML files. Primary configuration file is `SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg` in server's AppData directory (typically `%APPDATA%\SpaceEngineersDedicated\`).

Key configuration areas:
- **Server settings** (name, world, mods, max players)
- **World settings** (game mode, inventory size, welding speed)
- **Network settings** (port, public/private)

Configure by editing the XML files directly. This skill ships no configuration,
world or mod management utilities - see [ScriptingGuide.md](ScriptingGuide.md) if
you need to script such a task.

### Server-Only Assemblies

| Assembly | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `SpaceEngineersDedicated` | Server entry point (replaces `SpaceEngineers.exe`) |
| `VRage.Dedicated` | Dedicated server framework, lifecycle, configuration |
| `VRage.RemoteClient.Core` | Remote client support (RCON-like functionality) |

## General Rules

- In `Data/Decompiled` folder search only inside C# source files (*.cs) in general. If you work on transpiler or preloader patches, then also search IL code (*.il) files.
- In `Data/Content` folder search files appropriate for the task. See [ContentTypes.md](ContentTypes.md) for list of types.
- Do not search for decompiled server code outside `Data/Decompiled` folder. Decompiled server source tree must be there if preparation succeeded.
- Do not search for server content data outside `Data/Content` folder. Copied server content must be there if preparation succeeded.

## Action References

Follow detailed instructions in:

- [prepare action](./actions/prepare.md) - One-time preparation
- [bash action](./actions/bash.md) - Running UNIX shell commands via busybox
- [search action](./actions/search.md) - Running code searches
- [test action](./actions/test.md) - Testing this skill

## Remarks

Original source of this skill: https://github.com/CometWorks/skills