diff --git a/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_plugin_client.py b/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_plugin_client.py
index f889e725..1695e4db 100644
--- a/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_plugin_client.py
+++ b/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_plugin_client.py
@@ -178,11 +178,12 @@ class JetBrainsPluginClient(ToStringMixin):
         request_data = {"namePath": name_path, "relativePath": relative_path}
         return self._make_request("POST", "/findReferences", request_data)
 
-    def get_symbols_overview(self, relative_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    def get_symbols_overview(self, relative_path: str, depth: int) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """
         :param relative_path: the relative path to a source file
+        :param depth: the depth of children to include (0 = no children)
         """
-        request_data = {"relativePath": relative_path}
+        request_data = {"relativePath": relative_path, "depth": depth}
         return self._make_request("POST", "/getSymbolsOverview", request_data)
 
     def rename_symbol(
diff --git a/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_tools.py b/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_tools.py
index e2b84e6e..6407de7c 100644
--- a/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_tools.py
+++ b/src/serena/tools/jetbrains_tools.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+from collections import defaultdict
+from typing import Any
+
 from serena.tools import Tool, ToolMarkerOptional, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead
 from serena.tools.jetbrains_plugin_client import JetBrainsPluginClient
 
@@ -98,9 +101,41 @@ class JetBrainsGetSymbolsOverviewTool(Tool, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead, ToolMarkerOp
     Retrieves an overview of the top-level symbols within a specified file using the JetBrains backend
     """
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _transform_symbols_to_compact_format(symbols: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> dict[str, list]:
+        """
+        Transform symbol overview from verbose format to compact grouped format.
+
+        Groups symbols by kind and uses names instead of full symbol objects.
+        For symbols with children, creates nested dictionaries.
+
+        The name_path can be inferred from the hierarchical structure:
+        - Top-level symbols: name_path = name
+        - Nested symbols: name_path = parent_name + "/" + name
+        For example, "convert" under class "ProjectType" has name_path "ProjectType/convert".
+        """
+        result = defaultdict(list)
+
+        for symbol in symbols:
+            kind = symbol.get("type", "Unknown")
+            name_path = symbol["name_path"]
+            name = name_path.split("/")[-1]
+            children = symbol.get("children", [])
+
+            if children:
+                # Symbol has children: create nested dict {name: children_dict}
+                children_dict = JetBrainsGetSymbolsOverviewTool._transform_symbols_to_compact_format(children)
+                result[kind].append({name: children_dict})
+            else:
+                # Symbol has no children: just add the name
+                result[kind].append(name)
+
+        return result
+
     def apply(
         self,
         relative_path: str,
+        depth: int = 0,
         max_answer_chars: int = -1,
     ) -> str:
         """
@@ -111,13 +146,14 @@ class JetBrainsGetSymbolsOverviewTool(Tool, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead, ToolMarkerOp
         or by using the `list_dir` and `find_file` tools (or similar).
 
         :param relative_path: the relative path to the file to get the overview of
+        :param depth: depth up to which descendants shall be retrieved (e.g., use 1 to also retrieve immediate children).
         :param max_answer_chars: max characters for the JSON result. If exceeded, no content is returned.
             -1 means the default value from the config will be used.
-        :return: a JSON object containing the symbols
+        :return: a JSON object containing the symbols grouped by kind in a compact format.
         """
         with JetBrainsPluginClient.from_project(self.project) as client:
-            response_dict = client.get_symbols_overview(
-                relative_path=relative_path,
-            )
-            result = self._to_json(response_dict)
+            response_dict = client.get_symbols_overview(relative_path=relative_path, depth=depth)
+        symbols = response_dict["symbols"]
+        compact_symbols = self._transform_symbols_to_compact_format(symbols)
+        result = self._to_json(compact_symbols)
         return self._limit_length(result, max_answer_chars)
diff --git a/src/serena/tools/symbol_tools.py b/src/serena/tools/symbol_tools.py
index 75d0e5c9..bcd244a5 100644
--- a/src/serena/tools/symbol_tools.py
+++ b/src/serena/tools/symbol_tools.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Language server-related tools
 """
 
 import os
+from collections import defaultdict
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 from copy import copy
 from typing import Any
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ class GetSymbolsOverviewTool(Tool, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead):
         :param max_answer_chars: if the overview is longer than this number of characters,
             no content will be returned. -1 means the default value from the config will be used.
             Don't adjust unless there is really no other way to get the content required for the task.
-        :return: a JSON object containing info about top-level symbols in the file
+        :return: a JSON object containing symbols grouped by kind in a compact format.
         """
         symbol_retriever = self.create_language_server_symbol_retriever()
         file_path = os.path.join(self.project.project_root, relative_path)
@@ -73,9 +74,41 @@ class GetSymbolsOverviewTool(Tool, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead):
         if os.path.isdir(file_path):
             raise ValueError(f"Expected a file path, but got a directory path: {relative_path}. ")
         result = symbol_retriever.get_symbol_overview(relative_path, depth=depth)[relative_path]
-        result_json_str = self._to_json(result)
+        # Transform to compact format
+        compact_result = self._transform_symbols_to_compact_format(result)
+        result_json_str = self._to_json(compact_result)
         return self._limit_length(result_json_str, max_answer_chars)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _transform_symbols_to_compact_format(symbols: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> dict[str, list]:
+        """
+        Transform symbol overview from verbose format to compact grouped format.
+
+        Groups symbols by kind and uses names instead of full symbol objects.
+        For symbols with children, creates nested dictionaries.
+
+        The name_path can be inferred from the hierarchical structure:
+        - Top-level symbols: name_path = name
+        - Nested symbols: name_path = parent_name + "/" + name
+        For example, "convert" under class "ProjectType" has name_path "ProjectType/convert".
+        """
+        result = defaultdict(list)
+
+        for symbol in symbols:
+            kind = symbol.get("kind", "Unknown")
+            name = symbol.get("name", "unknown")
+            children = symbol.get("children", [])
+
+            if children:
+                # Symbol has children: create nested dict {name: children_dict}
+                children_dict = GetSymbolsOverviewTool._transform_symbols_to_compact_format(children)
+                result[kind].append({name: children_dict})
+            else:
+                # Symbol has no children: just add the name
+                result[kind].append(name)
+
+        return result
+
 
 class FindSymbolTool(Tool, ToolMarkerSymbolicRead):
     """