# Tool Consolidation Ideas

This document outlines opportunities to merge similar tools to simplify the API.

## 1. File Write Operations

**Current tools:** `CreateFile`, `InsertAfter`, `AppendToFile`

**Proposed merge:** `WriteToFile`

```csharp
public static string WriteToFile(
    string path,
    string[] content,
    string? mode = "create",
    string? anchor = null)
```

**Behavior:**
- `mode="create"` - Creates new file (error if exists)
- `mode="append"` - Appends to EOF (creates if missing)
- `mode="insert"` - Inserts after anchor (requires existing file)

**Benefits:**
- Reduces 3 tools to 1
- Cleaner API for LLM
- Unified error handling

## 2. File Move Operations

**Current tools:** `RenameFile`, `CopyFile`

**Proposed merge:** `MoveFile`

```csharp
public static string MoveFile(
    string sourcePath,
    string destinationPath,
    bool copy = false)
```

**Behavior:**
- `copy=false` - Moves file (current RenameFile behavior)
- `copy=true` - Copies file (current CopyFile behavior)

**Benefits:**
- 90% identical logic
- Only difference is File.Move vs File.Copy
- Both create parent directories
- Similar error handling patterns

## 4. Grep Operations ✅ DONE

**Current tools:** `GrepFile`, `GrepRecursive`

**Proposed merge:** `Grep`

```csharp
public static string Grep(
    string path,
    string pattern,
    string mode = "recursive",
    string? filePattern = null)
```

**Behavior:**
- `mode="file"` - Searches single file (current GrepFile)
- `mode="recursive"` - Searches directory recursively (current GrepRecursive)
- `filePattern` - Optional glob to filter files when recursive

**Benefits:**
- Very similar logic
- Reduces 2 tools to 1
- Cleaner API for LLM

## 5. Delete Operations ✅ DONE

**Current tools:** `DeleteFile`, `DeleteDir`

**Proposed merge:** `Delete`

```csharp
public static string Delete(
    string path,
    string mode = "file")
```

**Behavior:**
- `mode="file"` - Deletes a file
- `mode="dir"` - Deletes a directory (recursive)

**Benefits:**
- Unified interface for all deletion
- Similar error handling patterns
- Reduces 2 tools to 1

These consolidations reduced the tool count from 17 to 13 tools (4 completed), making the API simpler and easier for the LLM to use effectively.

**Completed merges**:
1. ✅ File Move Operations (2 → 1) - **DONE**
2. ✅ File Write Operations (3 → 1) - **DONE**
3. ✅ Delete Operations (2 → 1) - **DONE**
4. ✅ Grep Operations (2 → 1) - **DONE**

**All high priority merges completed!**