diff --git a/internal/tools/shared.go b/internal/tools/shared.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c640ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tools/shared.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+
+	"forge.lclr.dev/AI/xdebug-mcp/internal/cache"
+	"forge.lclr.dev/AI/xdebug-mcp/internal/cachegrind"
+)
+
+// loadProfile returns a parsed Profile from cache or by parsing the file.
+func loadProfile(filePath string, c *cache.Cache) (*cachegrind.Profile, error) {
+	abs, err := filepath.Abs(filePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("resolve path %s: %w", filePath, err)
+	}
+	info, err := os.Stat(abs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("file not found: %s", abs)
+	}
+	if p, ok := c.Get(abs, info.ModTime()); ok {
+		return p, nil
+	}
+	p, err := cachegrind.ParseFile(abs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c.Set(abs, p, info.ModTime())
+	return p, nil
+}
+
+// findFunctions returns functions matching name (exact first, then contains).
+// Returns a non-empty errMsg if nothing is found.
+func findFunctions(p *cachegrind.Profile, name string) ([]*cachegrind.Function, string) {
+	if fns, ok := p.ByName[name]; ok {
+		return fns, ""
+	}
+	var matches []*cachegrind.Function
+	for _, fn := range p.Functions {
+		if strings.Contains(fn.Name, name) {
+			matches = append(matches, fn)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(matches) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Sprintf("function %q not found in profile (no exact or contains match)", name)
+	}
+	return matches, ""
+}
+
+// sortedByTime returns a copy of fns sorted by Costs[0] descending.
+func sortedByTime(fns []*cachegrind.Function) []*cachegrind.Function {
+	sorted := make([]*cachegrind.Function, len(fns))
+	copy(sorted, fns)
+	sort.Slice(sorted, func(i, j int) bool {
+		ci, cj := int64(0), int64(0)
+		if len(sorted[i].Costs) > 0 {
+			ci = sorted[i].Costs[0]
+		}
+		if len(sorted[j].Costs) > 0 {
+			cj = sorted[j].Costs[0]
+		}
+		return ci > cj
+	})
+	return sorted
+}
+
+// formatCosts formats a cost slice as "Event=value  Event=value".
+func formatCosts(costs []int64, events []string) string {
+	parts := make([]string, 0, len(events))
+	for i, ev := range events {
+		if i < len(costs) {
+			parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%s=%d", ev, costs[i]))
+		}
+	}
+	return strings.Join(parts, "  ")
+}