v0.1.0 to v0.1.0

---

name: dotnet-inspect-sourcelink

version: 0.1.0

description: Inspect source mapped by Portable PDB and SourceLink data — map files and member locations, fetch source, or resolve checksum-matched content locally.

---

# dotnet-inspect: SourceLink and PDB source

Use this skill to get source mapped by the Portable PDB. dotnet-inspect

verifies local files and GitHub committed blobs read through `--repo` against

the PDB checksum. A network `PDB Source` fetch follows redirects permitted by

the host transport and returns the body only when it matches that checksum; it

does not treat the final destination as source provenance. Use

`library -S "SourceLink: Integrity"` for opt-in verification that every

fetchable, non-embedded compiler-source document preserves its attributed

repository and revision through redirects. If no usable PDB or

checksum-matching source is available locally or through SourceLink, use the

always-local `decompiler` skill.

The checksum proves that returned bytes match the PDB's declaration. It does

not independently prove that those bytes are the physical syntax tree that

produced a MethodDef; `PDB Source` names that evidence boundary explicitly.

```bash

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- <command>

```

## Find where the source lives

`-S "Source Files"` maps types in `type` scope. Library and package scope use

`SourceLink: Files`; `-S "Source Locations"` gives per-member file and line

URLs without fetching bodies. Use `--urls` for a clean URL list and `--paths`

for source path rows.

```bash

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json -S "SourceLink: Files"

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package Newtonsoft.Json@13.0.3 \

-S "SourceLink: Files" -t JsonReader -n 1 --tail --urls

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json -S "Source Files" --urls

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member Type Method:1 -S "Source Locations" --paths

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library coordinate 0x06000001+0x0 \

--package System.Text.Json --library System.Text.Json.dll

```

For one package with exactly `SourceLink: Files` selected, `-n`, `--tail`, and

`--rows A..B` select complete library/type/URL rows after every selected

library has completed SourceLink collection and the optional `--type` filter

has run. Count, structured formats, `--urls`, and `--bare` consume those same

rows. Use `--lines` only when you intentionally want to clip rendered text.

The multi-section `@SourceLink` document is not one file-row sequence.

## Fetch PDB source

`-S "PDB Source"` returns the source body selected by Portable PDB coordinates,

acquired locally or through SourceLink, and verified against the PDB checksum

(also part of the `-S @Source` bundle alongside the decompiled and IL views).

Use `--print` to fetch the source body behind one printable SourceLink row. When

the section renders multiple rows, add

`--row N|first|last`; `N`

addresses the displayed 1-based row number, while `first` and `last` mean the

rendered endpoints. If that row has no printable document, the command reports

it instead of silently choosing another row.

```bash

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json Serialize:1 -S "PDB Source"

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json \

Serialize:1 -S "PDB Source,Source Diff" --repo /path/to/runtime

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json -S "Source Files" --print --row 1

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json -m Serialize -S "Source Locations" --print --row 1

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json -S "Source Files" --print --row 1 --json-array

```

`--repo` requires a fully qualified clone path and applies only to

`raw.githubusercontent.com` SourceLink URLs. Member PDB Source, printable type

Source Files, printable member Source Locations, and implementation-diff PDB

source consult the clone before fetching the source body remotely. Package or

PDB acquisition may still use the network.

## Inspect or print authored member parts

Focused member `-S "Source Locations" --json` returns `member`, `document`,

and `pdb_span`, without acquiring source text. The PDB span is executable

source, not a complete member boundary. Add `--source-parts` to acquire and

verify source, then discover lexical `parts` separately from that span.

```bash

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json \

Serialize:1 --source-parts --json

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json \

Serialize:1 --print --part xml-docs

```

Both gestures imply Source Locations unless `-S` is explicit. Select one member

such as `Serialize:1`, or use `--print --part` with `--row` to select a member

row. Part names are `member`, `xml-docs`, `attributes`, `signature`, and `body`.

The full member includes attached XML documentation and attributes; a body

includes its delimiters. Unavailable parts fail rather than selecting a

substitute. Multiple documentation or attribute fragments are joined with LF;

selection uses exact character spans, not whole-line slicing.

Discovery supports Markdown, plaintext, and `--json`. Printing supports

Unqualified `--print` still prints the whole file.

`xml-docs` selects raw source comments, not parsed DocumentationHouse content.

These lexical ranges do not strengthen the PDB/checksum provenance claim.

## URL forms

PDBs *carry* SourceLink data; they are not SourceLink themselves. SourceLink URL

rows default to raw/fetchable form; add `--prefer-rendered-urls` to prefer

browser views when supported, leaving other URLs unchanged. Prefer

`--urls` when you want URL payloads, `--paths` for file paths, and `--print` when

you want the referenced source body. `--bare` remains a raw selected-payload

escape hatch.

```bash

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member Type Method:1 -S "Source Locations" --urls --jsonl

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json -S "Source Files" --urls --json-array

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json -S "SourceLink: Files" --urls --prefer-rendered-urls

```

To check *whether* SourceLink is present and usable (rather than fetch source),

see the `signals` skill. Library `Signals` summarizes map usability and

`SourceLink: Diagnostics` reports parse errors or rejected mappings;

`SourceLink: Availability`, `SourceLink: Integrity`, and

`SourceLink: Missing Files` check the mapped documents. The document checks

also aggregate across selected package libraries.