Basic semantic code search with GrepAI. Use this skill to learn fundamental search commands and concepts.

GrepAI Search Basics This skill covers the fundamentals of semantic code search with GrepAI. When to Use This Skill Learning GrepAI search Performing basic code searches Understanding semantic vs. text search Interpreting search results Prerequisites 1. GrepAI initialized ( grepai init ) 2. Index created ( grepai watch ) 3. Embedding provider running (Ollama, etc.) What is Semantic Search? Unlike traditional text search (grep, ripgrep), GrepAI searches by meaning : Type How it Works Example Text search Exact string match "login" → finds "login" Semantic search Meaning similarity "authenticate user" → finds login, auth, signin code Basic Search Command Example Output: Understanding Results Result Format Component Meaning Score Similarity (0.0 to 1.0, higher = more relevant) File path Location of the code Line numbers Start end lines of the chunk Content The actual code Score Interpretation Score Meaning 0.90+ Excellent match 0.80 0.89 Good match 0.70 0.79 Related 0.60 0.69 Loosely related <0.60 Weak match Limiting Results By default, GrepAI returns 10 results. Adjust with limit : Checking Index Status Before searching, verify your index: Output: Search vs Grep Comparison Traditional grep Finds exact text "authenticate" Misses synonyms (login, signin, auth) Returns all matches, unranked GrepAI search Finds semantically similar code Includes related concepts Results ranked by relevance What Makes a Good Query Good Queries ✅ Describe the intent or behavior: Less Effective Queries ❌ Too short or generic: Natural Language Queries GrepAI understands natural language: Multiple Words vs Phrases Both work, but phrases often get better results: Quick Tips 1. Use English: Models are trained on English 2. Be specific: "JWT token validation" vs "validation" 3. Describe intent: What the code DOES, not what it's called 4. Use 3 7 words: Enough context, not too verbose 5. Iterate: Refine query based on results Common Search Patterns Finding Entry Points Finding Error Handling Finding Data Access Finding Business Logic Troubleshooting ❌ Problem: No results ✅ Solutions: Check index exists: grepai status Run grepai watch if index is empty Simplify query ❌ Problem: Irrelevant results ✅ Solutions: Be more specific Use different words Check if code exists in the codebase ❌ Problem: Missing expected code ✅ Solutions: Check if file is ignored in config Ensure file extension is supported Re index: rm .grepai/index.gob && grepai watch Output Format Successful basic search:

grepai-search-basics