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Rename a symbol across the repo in WebAssembly with Atlas in 2026

Updated 9 min read

Atlas empowers WebAssembly developers in 2026 to rename functions, classes, or constants across their entire repository with unparalleled accuracy, going beyond what `grep` alone can achieve. It leverages the `lsp` tool to query the language server for authoritative references, then uses `grep` to find occurrences in comments and documentation, and finally applies changes with the `edit` tool. This process is fully integrated with the WebAssembly toolchain, ensuring that `wasm-pack test` passes, `cargo (wasm-bindgen)` dependencies are respected, and `rustfmt` maintains code style after every refactoring, providing a robust and verified approach to code modification.

How Atlas finds all WebAssembly symbol references

Atlas identifies all references to a WebAssembly symbol by combining the precision of language servers with the breadth of keyword search, ensuring no usage is missed in 2026. It first queries the language server via the `lsp` tool for type-aware references, then supplements this with a `grep` search to catch non-code occurrences.

When renaming a function, class, or constant within a WebAssembly project, Atlas begins by invoking the `lsp` tool's `findReferences` operation. This leverages the underlying language server, which understands the WebAssembly module's structure, `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports, and the intricate JS glue code generated by `wasm-bindgen`. The `lsp` tool provides an authoritative list of all code locations where the symbol is genuinely used, preventing the false positives or missed matches that a simple text search might produce. Following this, Atlas executes the `grep` tool for the old symbol name. This crucial step captures references that the language server might not track, such as occurrences within comments, documentation, string literals, or configuration files like `Cargo.toml` or even `.d.ts` files that define the WebAssembly module's interface. By fusing semantic and keyword retrieval using reciprocal rank fusion, Atlas ensures a comprehensive and accurate set of references, covering both the compiled WebAssembly module and its surrounding JavaScript host environment.

Applying WebAssembly renames with Atlas's edit tool

Atlas applies mechanical renames across your WebAssembly project using its `edit` tool, which enforces strict matching rules to prevent unintended changes. This ensures that when you rename a `#[wasm_bindgen]` function, only the correct instances are modified, providing a 100% accurate refactoring experience.

After identifying all relevant references, Atlas uses its `edit` tool to perform the actual renaming. For widespread changes, the `edit` tool employs `replaceAll`, which systematically replaces all unambiguous matches of the old symbol name with the new one across the specified files. This is particularly effective for refactoring a `#[wasm_bindgen]` exported function or a constant used throughout your Rust source code that compiles to WebAssembly. A key safety feature of the `edit` tool is its strictness: it refuses ambiguous single replacements. If `edit` finds multiple matches for `oldString` in a file but is not explicitly instructed to `replaceAll`, it will throw an error. This prevents silent corruption of your WebAssembly codebase by ensuring that every change is either a clear, global replacement or a precisely targeted, context-aware modification. Atlas computes a unified diff for every file edit and surfaces it for approval, allowing you to review the exact changes before they are written to your `src/lib.rs` or `pkg/my_module.d.ts` files.

WebAssembly project setup for Atlas refactoring

To effectively rename symbols in a WebAssembly project, Atlas requires a standard Rust crate configuration, specifically a `Cargo.toml` that sets `crate-type = ['cdylib']` and depends on `wasm-bindgen`. This setup, common in 2026, allows Atlas to understand your module's boundaries and generated JavaScript glue.

Atlas is designed to work direct within a typical WebAssembly development environment. For symbol renaming, you must run Atlas within a Rust crate whose `Cargo.toml` file is correctly configured for WebAssembly compilation. This means specifying `crate-type = ['cdylib']` to produce a C-compatible dynamic library, which is the standard output for WebAssembly modules. Additionally, the `Cargo.toml` must declare a dependency on `wasm-bindgen`, the essential tool for generating JavaScript bindings. Atlas reads and understands your `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports, the corresponding JavaScript glue code they generate in `pkg/my_module.js`, and any `wasm32-wasip2` target configurations. This deep understanding of the WebAssembly boundary,what the host is allowed to hand you and how bindings are managed,is critical for accurate refactoring. For instance, if you're moving a hot loop across the boundary to reduce chatter, Atlas can analyze the impact on both the Rust source and the generated `.d.ts` type definitions, ensuring a consistent rename across the entire interface.

Verifying WebAssembly renames with Atlas and `wasm-pack`

After Atlas performs a symbol rename in your WebAssembly project, it immediately verifies the changes by compiling and testing with `wasm-pack`, followed by a final `grep` check. This ensures that your `wasm-pack test --node` suite passes and no old symbol references remain, providing 100% confidence in the refactoring.

The final and most critical step in any refactoring is verification. Atlas integrates directly with your WebAssembly toolchain to ensure the rename is successful and introduces no regressions. After applying the mechanical changes, Atlas uses the `bash` tool to execute your project's build and test commands. This typically involves running `wasm-pack build --target web` to compile the WebAssembly module and generate the necessary JavaScript and TypeScript definition files (`.d.ts`). Subsequently, Atlas will run `wasm-pack test --node` behind a permission prompt, executing your test suite to confirm that all functionality remains intact. This automated testing catches any logical errors introduced by the rename. As a final safeguard, Atlas performs one more `grep` for the old symbol name across the entire repository, including generated files, to definitively prove zero remaining hits. This comprehensive verification process, combined with `rustfmt` applied to the diff, guarantees that your WebAssembly codebase is clean, correct, and adheres to formatting standards after every rename.

Atlas's safety and review for WebAssembly refactoring

Atlas prioritizes safety and transparency during WebAssembly symbol renames, offering multiple layers of review and permission gating. Every Atlas tool call is permission-gated, and all proposed file edits are presented as unified diffs for your approval, ensuring you maintain 100% control over your `src/lib.rs` and `pkg` directory.

Atlas is built with developer control at its core, especially for critical operations like renaming symbols in a WebAssembly project. Before any tool call, such as `lsp`, `grep`, `edit`, or `bash`, Atlas consults permission-gated rules (allow, ask, deny) to ensure actions align with your preferences. The agent drafts a plan in a read-only plan agent, asking for your approval before switching to a build agent that can make changes. Crucially, Atlas computes a unified diff for every proposed file edit, whether it's in your Rust source (`src/lib.rs`), the generated JavaScript glue (`pkg/my_module.js`), or the TypeScript definitions (`pkg/my_module.d.ts`). These diffs are surfaced for your explicit approval before Atlas writes any changes to disk. This granular control allows you to inspect every modification, ensuring that the rename is accurate and doesn't introduce unintended side effects. Furthermore, Atlas snapshots file changes as git patches, enabling easy diffing and rollback of edits if needed, providing a robust safety net for complex WebAssembly refactorings.

Step by step

  1. 011: Run Atlas in your WebAssembly crate: Start Atlas within your Rust crate where `Cargo.toml` sets `crate-type = ['cdylib']` and depends on `wasm-bindgen`, allowing Atlas to index your `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports and generated JS glue.
  2. 022: Identify symbol references with `lsp` and `grep`: Instruct Atlas to use the `lsp` tool's `findReferences` operation on the WebAssembly symbol (function, class, or constant) to get authoritative call sites, then run `grep` for the old name to catch comments, strings, and `.d.ts` documentation.
  3. 033: Apply renames with Atlas's `edit` tool: Approve Atlas's plan to apply mechanical renames using the `edit` tool with `replaceAll`, ensuring unambiguous changes across your `src/lib.rs` and generated `pkg` files.
  4. 044: Compile and build with `wasm-pack`: Let Atlas execute `bash` to run `wasm-pack build --target web`, compiling your WebAssembly module and updating the generated JavaScript and TypeScript definition files.
  5. 055: Test the refactoring with `wasm-pack test`: Grant permission for Atlas to run `bash` to execute `wasm-pack test --node`, verifying that your WebAssembly test suite passes after the symbol rename.
  6. 066: Format code with `rustfmt`: Allow Atlas to run `rustfmt` on the unified diff to ensure all modified Rust source files adhere to your project's formatting standards.
  7. 077: Final `grep` verification: Instruct Atlas to perform a final `grep` for the old symbol name across the entire repository to confirm zero remaining occurrences, including in generated `pkg` artifacts.

Frequently asked questions

How does Atlas ensure accurate symbol renames in WebAssembly projects?
Atlas ensures accuracy by first using the `lsp` tool to get authoritative, type-aware references from the language server, which understands `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports. It then supplements this with `grep` to find non-code occurrences in comments, strings, and `.d.ts` files, fusing both methods for comprehensive coverage.
Can Atlas rename symbols in `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports and their generated JS glue?
Yes, Atlas is designed to understand the WebAssembly boundary. It reads your `#[wasm_bindgen]` exports and the JS glue they generate, ensuring that renames are consistently applied across your Rust source, the generated `pkg/my_module.js`, and the `.d.ts` type definitions.
What WebAssembly tools does Atlas integrate with for verification?
Atlas integrates directly with the core WebAssembly toolchain. After a rename, it uses `bash` to run `wasm-pack build --target web` for compilation and `wasm-pack test --node` to execute your test suite, ensuring the refactoring is functionally correct. It also runs `rustfmt` on the diff.
How does Atlas prevent accidental changes during a WebAssembly symbol rename?
Atlas prevents accidental changes through several safety mechanisms. Its `edit` tool refuses ambiguous single replacements, requiring explicit `replaceAll` for widespread changes. Every tool call is permission-gated, and all proposed file edits are presented as unified diffs for your explicit approval before writing to disk.
Does Atlas support WebAssembly projects using `cargo (wasm-bindgen)`?
Yes, Atlas fully supports WebAssembly projects that use `cargo (wasm-bindgen)`. It operates within Rust crates whose `Cargo.toml` specifies `crate-type = ['cdylib']` and depends on `wasm-bindgen`, allowing it to correctly index and refactor your WebAssembly-targeted code.
How can I review the changes Atlas makes to my WebAssembly code?
Atlas provides comprehensive review capabilities. It drafts a plan in a read-only agent for your approval and, crucially, computes a unified diff for every file edit. These diffs are surfaced for your review before any changes are written to files like `src/lib.rs` or `pkg/my_module.d.ts`, giving you granular control.
What if a rename affects a `wasm32-wasip2` target configuration?
Atlas is aware of `wasm32-wasip2` target configurations. It reads and understands these settings, ensuring that any symbol renames consider the specific requirements and implications for your WASI-targeted WebAssembly modules, maintaining consistency across your project.

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