/colgrep

name: colgrep
description: Semantic code search with colgrep - use colgrep as the primary search tool instead of Grep/Glob

Semantic Code Search

This repository has `colgrep` installed - a semantic code search CLI.

**Use `colgrep` as your PRIMARY search tool** instead of `Search / Grep / Glob`.

Quick Reference

# Basic semantic search
colgrep "<natural language query>" --results 10   # Basic search
colgrep "<query>" -k 25                           # Exploration (more results)
colgrep "<query>" ./src/parser                    # Search in specific folder
colgrep "<query>" ./src/main.rs                   # Search in specific file
colgrep "<query>" ./src/main.rs ./src/lib.rs      # Search in multiple files
colgrep "<query>" ./crate-a ./crate-b             # Search multiple directories

# File filtering
colgrep --include="*.rs" "<query>"                # Include only .rs files
colgrep --include="src/**/*.rs" "<query>"         # Recursive glob pattern
colgrep --include="*.{rs,md}" "<query>"           # Multiple file types (brace expansion)
colgrep --exclude="*.test.ts" "<query>"           # Exclude test files
colgrep --exclude-dir=vendor "<query>"            # Exclude vendor directory

# Pattern-only search (no semantic query needed)
colgrep -e "<pattern>"                            # Search by pattern only
colgrep -e "async fn" --include="*.rs"            # Pattern search with file filter

# Hybrid search (text + semantic)
colgrep -e "<text>" "<semantic query>"            # Hybrid: text + semantic
colgrep -e "<regex>" -E "<semantic query>"        # Hybrid with extended regex (ERE)
colgrep -e "<literal>" -F "<semantic query>"      # Hybrid with fixed string (no regex)
colgrep -e "<word>" -w "<semantic query>"         # Hybrid with whole word match

# Output options
colgrep -l "<query>"                              # List files only
colgrep -c "<query>"                              # Show full function content (50 lines max)
colgrep -n 10 "<query>"                           # Show 10 context lines (default: 6)
colgrep --json "<query>"                          # JSON output

Grep-Compatible Flags

| Flag | Description | Example | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | `-e <PATTERN>` | Text pattern pre-filter | `colgrep -e "async" "concurrency"` | | `-E` | Extended regex (ERE) for `-e` | `colgrep -e "async\|await" -E "concurrency"` | | `-F` | Fixed string (no regex) for `-e` | `colgrep -e "foo[bar]" -F "query"` | | `-w` | Whole word match for `-e` | `colgrep -e "test" -w "testing"` | | `-k, --results` | Number of results to return | `colgrep --results 20 "query"` | | `-l` | List files only | `colgrep -l "authentication"` | | `-r` | Recursive (default, for compatibility) | `colgrep -r "query"` | | `--include` | Include files matching pattern (repeatable) | `colgrep --include="*.py" "query"` | | `--exclude` | Exclude files matching pattern | `colgrep --exclude="*.min.js" "query"` | | `--exclude-dir` | Exclude directories | `colgrep --exclude-dir=node_modules "query"` |

**Notes:**

• `-F` takes precedence over `-E` (like grep)
• Default exclusions always apply: `.git`, `node_modules`, `target`, `.venv`, `__pycache__`
• When running from a subdirectory, results are restricted to that subdirectory. To search the full project, specify `.` or `..` as the path
• Multiple `--include` patterns use OR logic (matches if file matches any pattern)
• Brace expansion is supported: `*.{rs,md,py}` expands to match all three types

When to Use What

| Task | Tool | | ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Find code by intent/description | `colgrep "query" -k 10` | | Explore/understand a system | `colgrep "query" -k 25` (increase k) | | Search by pattern only | `colgrep -e "pattern"` (no semantic query) | | Know text exists, need context | `colgrep -e "text" "semantic query"` | | Literal text with special chars | `colgrep -e "foo[0]" -F "semantic query"` | | Whole word match | `colgrep -e "test" -w "testing utilities"` | | Search in a specific file | `colgrep "query" ./src/main.rs` | | Search in multiple files | `colgrep "query" ./src/main.rs ./src/lib.rs` | | Search specific file type | `colgrep --include="*.ext" "query"` | | Search multiple file types | `colgrep --include="*.{rs,md,py}" "query"` | | Exclude test files | `colgrep --exclude="*_test.go" "query"` | | Exclude vendor directories | `colgrep --exclude-dir=vendor "query"` | | Search in specific directories | `colgrep --include="src/**/*.rs" "query"` | | Search multiple directories | `colgrep "query" ./src ./lib ./api` | | Search CI/CD configs | `colgrep --include="**/.github/**/*" "q" .` | | View full function content | `colgrep -c "query"` | | Exact string/regex match only | Built-in `Grep` tool | | Find files by name | Built-in `Glob` tool |

Key Rules

1. **Default to `colgrep`** for any code search 2. **Increase `--results`** (or `-k`) when exploring (20-30 results) 3. **Use `-e`** for hybrid text+semantic filtering 4. **Use `-E`** with `-e` for extended regex (alternation `|`, quantifiers `+?`, grouping `()`) 5. **Use `-F`** with `-e` when pattern contains regex special characte