How do I install the Code Search skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add gitextensions/code-search in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Code Search safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Code Search?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Code Search free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Code Search?

gitextensions (@gitextensions) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Code Search by gitextensions — Agent Skill

Name: Code Search
Author: gitextensions

Code Search

**SDLC (SME-first) SKILL** — Efficiently locate code in the Git Extensions repository before editing or explaining. USE FOR: finding the form/command/parser behind a feature, tracing a UI action to its git call, locating a symbol's definition and usages. DO NOT USE FOR: making edits (do the edit after finding), or questions already answered by a DAG doc. Triggers: "where is", "find the code that", "which form handles", "locate the command for".

File contents

Code Search (Git Extensions)

Find the right code fast by using the DAG map first, then targeted symbol search.

Phase 1 — Orient via the docs (do this first)

Check the master docs-index ownership table to map the topic to a code area, and follow the matching reading chain.
The project-map tells you which project owns it.

Phase 2 — Search with the repo's conventions

Knowing these conventions makes search precise:

Dialogs / UI actions → src/app/GitUI/CommandsDialogs/Form<Name>.cs (+ .Designer.cs, and split partials like FormBrowse.Init*.cs).
Git commands (structured) → Commands.<Verb>(...) in Commands.cs / Commands.Arguments.cs.
Repo operations / state → methods on GitModule / IGitModule.cs.
Output parsing → *Parser / RevisionReader in src/app/GitCommands/.
Left-panel tree nodes → src/app/GitUI/LeftPanel/.
Contracts/interfaces → src/app/GitExtensions.Extensibility/.

Techniques: search the symbol (exact ClassName/MethodName), then find its usages/definition. For a UI action, grep the button/menu handler, then follow to Commands.* / Module.* / StartCommandLineProcessDialog / FormProcess.ShowDialog.

Phase 3 — Confirm before acting

Open the file and confirm it's the real owner (not a similarly named helper/test).
Note the tier boundary you're crossing so an edit stays in the right project.

Hard rules

Use the docs-index before brute-force searching the whole tree.
Verify the match by opening the file; don't act on a filename guess.
Respect the dependency direction (see architecture-overview).

---name: code-searchdescription: **SDLC (SME-first) SKILL** — Efficiently locate code in the Git Extensions repository before editing or explaining. USE FOR: finding the form/command/parser behind a feature, tracing a UI action to its git call, locating a symbol's definition and usages. DO NOT USE FOR: making edits (do the edit after finding), or questions already answered by a DAG doc. Triggers: "where is", "find the code that", "which form handles", "locate the command for".---# Code Search (Git Extensions)Find the right code fast by using the DAG map first, then targeted symbol search.## Phase 1 — Orient via the docs (do this first)1. Check the [master docs-index](../../copilot-docs/docs-index.md) **ownership table** to map the topic to a code area, and follow the matching **reading chain**.2. The [project-map](../../copilot-docs/L1-conceptual/project-map.md) tells you which project owns it.## Phase 2 — Search with the repo's conventionsKnowing these conventions makes search precise:- **Dialogs / UI actions** → `src/app/GitUI/CommandsDialogs/Form<Name>.cs` (+ `.Designer.cs`, and split partials like `FormBrowse.Init*.cs`).- **Git commands (structured)** → `Commands.<Verb>(...)` in [Commands.cs](../../../src/app/GitCommands/Git/Commands.cs) / [Commands.Arguments.cs](../../../src/app/GitCommands/Git/Commands.Arguments.cs).- **Repo operations / state** → methods on `GitModule` / [IGitModule.cs](../../../src/app/GitExtensions.Extensibility/Git/IGitModule.cs).- **Output parsing** → `*Parser` / `RevisionReader` in `src/app/GitCommands/`.- **Left-panel tree nodes** → `src/app/GitUI/LeftPanel/`.- **Contracts/interfaces** → `src/app/GitExtensions.Extensibility/`.Techniques: search the **symbol** (exact `ClassName`/`MethodName`), then find its usages/definition.For a UI action, grep the button/menu handler, then follow to `Commands.*` / `Module.*` /`StartCommandLineProcessDialog` / `FormProcess.ShowDialog`.## Phase 3 — Confirm before acting- Open the file and confirm it's the real owner (not a similarly named helper/test).- Note the tier boundary you're crossing so an edit stays in the right project.## Hard rules- Use the docs-index **before** brute-force searching the whole tree.- Verify the match by opening the file; don't act on a filename guess.- Respect the dependency direction (see [architecture-overview](../../copilot-docs/L1-conceptual/architecture-overview.md)).

Frequently asked questions