Code Search

Code Search

Recommended model tier: balanced (sonnet) - this skill performs straightforward operations

Search for code symbols (functions, classes, methods, types) and find their call sites.

Available Tools

1. Search Symbols (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__code_search)

Find functions, classes, methods, interfaces, and types by name or signature.

Example usage:

Search for: "getUserById"
→ Uses code_search tool
→ Returns: function signatures, file locations, line numbers

2. Find References (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__code_references)

Find all places where a symbol is called/used.

Example usage:

Who calls "getUserById"?
→ Uses code_references tool
→ Returns: all call sites with file:line and context

3. List File Symbols (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__code_symbols)

List all symbols defined in a specific file.

Example usage:

What functions are in src/auth.ts?
→ Uses code_symbols tool
→ Returns: all functions, classes, types in that file

4. File Outline (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__code_outline)

Get a collapsed structural outline of a file — signatures preserved, bodies replaced with { ... }. Uses ~5-15% of the tokens of the full file. Use this before reading a file to understand its structure, then use Read with offset/limit for specific sections.

Example usage:

Outline src/auth.ts
→ Uses code_outline tool
→ Returns: collapsed view with signatures, line ranges, bodies collapsed

5. Check Index Status (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__code_stats)

Check if the codebase has been indexed.

Example usage:

Is the code indexed?
→ Uses code_stats tool
→ Returns: file count, symbol count, reference count

6. Search Findings (mcp__plugin_aide_aide__findings_search)

Search static analysis findings (complexity hotspots, secrets, code clones, coupling issues).

Example usage:

Any complexity issues in src/auth?
→ Uses findings_search tool with query "auth" or file filter
→ Returns: findings with file, line, severity, description

Workflow

1. First, check if codebase is indexed:
   • Use code_stats to verify indexing
   • If not indexed, tell user to run: ./.aide/bin/aide code index

Binary location: The aide binary is at .aide/bin/aide. If it's on your $PATH, you can use aide directly.

2. Search for symbols:

   • Use code_search with the symbol name or pattern
   • Filter by kind (function, method, class, interface, type)
   • Filter by language (typescript, javascript, go, python)

3. Find call sites:

   • Use code_references to find where a symbol is used
   • Shows all callers with context

4. Explore specific files:

   • Use code_symbols to list all definitions in a file

Example Session

User: "Where is the authentication function?"

Assistant action:

1. Use code_search with query "auth" or "authenticate"
2. Show matching functions with file locations

User: "Who calls authenticateUser?"

Assistant action:

1. Use code_references with symbol "authenticateUser"
2. Show all call sites grouped by file

What These Tools Cover

code_search and code_references work from the tree-sitter symbol index. They find:

• Function, method, class, interface, type definitions by name
• Symbol signatures (parameter types, return types)
• Doc comments attached to definitions
• Call sites for a specific symbol name (via code_references)

For anything else — patterns inside function bodies, method call chains, string literals, SQL queries, imports, variable declarations — use Grep, which searches code content directly.

In short: code_search finds where things are defined; Grep finds patterns in code content.

Notes

• Code must be indexed first: ./.aide/bin/aide code index
• Indexing is incremental - only changed files are re-parsed
• Supports: TypeScript, JavaScript, Go, Python, Rust, and more
• File watching is on by default; disable with AIDE_CODE_WATCH=0 or code.watch: false in .aide/config/aide.json