Feat: Support basic Symbol navigation inside AI coding session (#258)

* Linkify symbols near file links and add navigation

* Add helm-gtags fallback for symbol navigation

* Add Dired support to context files and tests

* Revert "Add Dired support to context files and tests"

This reverts commit b205107.

* Support explaining multiple marked files in Dired

* Linkify Java CamelCase and Python snake_case

* Refactor symbol detection and relax file checks

* Tighten Java CamelCase detection and tests

* Update ai-code-session-link.el

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

* Add per-pass caching and optimize linkification

* Improve nearby symbol scanning for file links

* Use fixed 512-char 8-line symbol window

* Add clickable session links, image, and tests

* update HISTORY

---------

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: tninja

HISTORY.org

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 * Release history
 
 ** Main branch change
+- Feat: Support basic Symbol navigation inside AI coding session
 - Feat: Add constraint bundles system with 20 tech stack presets (@rust-stack, @react-stack, etc.)
 - Feat: Expand constraint catalog with 50+ constraints (testing, safety, error handling, performance, API design, logging)
 - Feat: Auto-detect constraints from project config files (tsconfig.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml, etc.)

README.org

@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ Enable installation of packages from MELPA by adding an entry to package-archive
 - `yasnippet`: For snippet support in the prompt file. A library of snippets is included.
   - (emacs built-in) abbrev + skeleton is also a good way to expand prompt. [[./etc/prompt_expand_with_abbrev_skeleton.el][example abbrev to solve / iterate leetcode problem with tdd (need to set ai-code-auto-test-type with tdd)]], [[./examples/leetcode][example problem resolved]]
 - `projectile`: For project root initialization.
-- `helm-gtags`: For tags creation.
+- `helm-gtags`: For tags creation and symbol navigation fallback from clickable session symbols.
 - `python-pytest`: For running python tests in the TDD workflow.
 - `jest`: For running JavaScript / TypeScript tests in the TDD workflow.
 
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ Enable installation of packages from MELPA by adding an entry to package-archive
 - *Transient-Driven Hub (`C-c a`)*: One keystroke opens a contextual transient menu that groups every capability (CLI control, code actions, agile workflows, utilities) so you never need to memorize scattered keybindings.
   - If the default wide layout does not fit your frame well, set `ai-code-menu-layout` to `two-columns` for a narrower menu with the same commands.
 - *AI CLI Session Management*: Start (`a`), resume (`R`), or jump back into (`z`) the active AI CLI buffer, instantly swap backends (`s`), upgrade them (`u`), install backend skills (`S`), edit backend configs (`g`), open backend agent file (`G`), and run prompts against the current file (`|`). It supports multiple sessions per project. The `S` entry is especially useful for installing shared skill packs such as [[https://github.com/obra/superpowers][obra/superpowers]].
-- *Clickable Session Links*: In AI session buffers, supported in-repo file references and `http` / `https` URLs are underlined and clickable. File links such as `src/foo.el:42`, `src/foo.el:42:7`, `src/foo.el:L42-L60`, or `src/foo.el#L42-L60` jump directly to the right location, while web links open in your browser. Set `ai-code-session-link-enabled` to `nil` if you want to disable this link rendering.
+- *Clickable Session Links*: In AI session buffers, supported in-repo file references, nearby code symbols, and `http` / `https` URLs are underlined and clickable. File links such as `src/foo.el:42`, `src/foo.el:42:7`, `src/foo.el:L42-L60`, or `src/foo.el#L42-L60` jump directly to the right location, nearby symbols such as `setq-local`, `ai-code-session-link-enabled`, or `UserService.processRequest()` trigger code navigation in the associated file, and web links open in your browser. Symbol navigation first tries `xref`, then `helm-gtags` when available, and finally falls back to searching in the opened file buffer. Set `ai-code-session-link-enabled` to `nil` if you want to disable this link rendering.
+[[./clickable_link_ai_session.png]]
 - *Context-Aware Code Actions*: The menu exposes dedicated entries for changing code (`c`), implementing TODOs (`i`), asking questions (`q`), explaining code (`x`), sending free-form commands (`<SPC>`), and refreshing AI context (`@`). Each command automatically captures the surrounding function, region, or clipboard contents (via `C-u`) to keep prompts precise.
 - *Agile Development Workflows*: Use the refactoring navigator (`r`), the guided TDD cycle (`t`), and the pull/review diff helper (`v`) to keep AI-assisted work aligned with agile best practices. Prompt authoring is first-class through quick access to the prompt file (`p`), build/test helper (`b`), and AI-assisted shell/file execution (`!`). In prompt files, send the current block with `C-c C-c`.
 - *Productivity & Debugging Utilities*: Initialize project navigation assets (`.`), investigate exceptions (`e`), auto-fix Flycheck issues in scope (`f`), copy or open file paths formatted for prompts (`k`, `o`), generate MCP inspector commands (`m`), capture session notes straight into Org (`n`), and toggle desktop notifications (`N`) to get alerted when AI responses are ready in background sessions.

ai-code-discussion.el

@@ -268,23 +268,36 @@ into the AI prompt file and optionally sends to AI."
 (defun ai-code--explain-dired ()
   "Handle explain for Dired buffer."
   (let* ((file-at-point (dired-get-filename nil t))
-         (git-relative-path (when file-at-point
-                             (car (ai-code--get-git-relative-paths (list file-at-point)))))
-         (files-context-string (when git-relative-path
-                                (concat "\nFiles:\n@" git-relative-path)))
+         (all-marked (dired-get-marked-files))
+         (has-marked-files (> (length all-marked) 1))
+         (context-files (if has-marked-files
+                            all-marked
+                          (when file-at-point
+                            (list file-at-point))))
+         (git-relative-paths (when context-files
+                               (ai-code--get-git-relative-paths context-files)))
+         (files-context-string (when git-relative-paths
+                                (concat "\nFiles:\n"
+                                        (mapconcat (lambda (path) (concat "@" path))
+                                                   git-relative-paths
+                                                   "\n"))))
          (file-type (if (and file-at-point (file-directory-p file-at-point))
-                       "directory"
-                     "file"))
-         (initial-prompt (if git-relative-path
-                            (format "Please explain the %s at path @%s.\n\nProvide a clear explanation of what this %s contains, its purpose, and its role in the project structure.%s"
+                        "directory"
+                      "file"))
+         (initial-prompt (cond
+                          (has-marked-files
+                           (format "Please explain the selected files or directories.\n\nProvide a clear explanation of what these files or directories contain, their purpose, and their role in the project structure.%s"
+                                   (or files-context-string "")))
+                          ((car git-relative-paths)
+                           (format "Please explain the %s at path @%s.\n\nProvide a clear explanation of what this %s contains, its purpose, and its role in the project structure.%s"
                                    file-type
-                                   git-relative-path
+                                   (car git-relative-paths)
                                    file-type
-                                   (or files-context-string ""))
-                          "No file or directory found at cursor point."))
-         (final-prompt (if git-relative-path
-                          (ai-code-read-string "Prompt: " initial-prompt)
-                        initial-prompt)))
+                                   (or files-context-string "")))
+                          (t "No file or directory found at cursor point.")))
+         (final-prompt (if git-relative-paths
+                           (ai-code-read-string "Prompt: " initial-prompt)
+                         initial-prompt)))
     (when final-prompt
       (ai-code--insert-prompt final-prompt))))