Iterative Retrieval

Iterative Retrieval

Overview

In large code bases, one search is often not enough. This skill iterates through a search loop, gradually narrowing the scope and pinpointing the relevant code.

When to Activate

• Research requires multiple searches because the first result set is incomplete or low-confidence.
• A claim depends on current external documentation, issue state, API behavior, or release notes.
• Search results disagree and need a refinement loop before conclusions are trusted.
• A task needs fact/inference separation before implementation or recommendation.
• A first search returns too many partially related results or misses the target surface.
• A codebase question spans file names, symbols, docs, and generated artifacts.
• A user needs evidence-backed repository orientation before implementation.

Red Flags

• The same broad query is repeated without changing terms or scope.
• Low-relevance results are read in depth before high-relevance anchors.
• Search history is lost, so later conclusions cannot be traced back to evidence.

Checklist

• Start with 2-3 concrete keywords from the user request.
• Score search results before expanding into neighboring files.
• Stop after three rounds with an explicit unresolved-questions list.

4 stage cycle

1. DISPATCH (distribution search)

• Extract search keywords from requirements
• Choose a search strategy:
  • Glob: Search by filename pattern
  • Grep: search by content keywords
  • AST: Search by code structure (function name, class name)
• Launch multiple searches in parallel

2. EVALUATE (evaluation result)

Rate each search result (0-1):

3. REFINE (refined query)

Adjust your search strategy based on the evaluation results:

• Highly relevant results → Expand search in the same directory/same module
• Low relevant results → Change keywords or search strategies
• Discover new clues → Additional searches

4. LOOP (loop judgment)

• enough information found → end, output summary
• Insufficient information and rounds < 3 → Back to DISPATCH
• Reached 3 rounds → forced end, output existing information + unresolved issues

Termination condition

• All key questions already answered
• Highly relevant results cover all aspects of requirements
• Maximum rounds reached (3 rounds)

Output format

## Search report

### Rounds: N/3

### Discover
| Documentation | Relevance | Key Information |
|------|--------|----------|
| ...  | 0.9    | ...      |

### Not resolved
- <Questions that still need to be confirmed>

### Search History
1. <query> → <number of results>, highest relevance <score>

VibeGuard Integration

• Marking in search results has been implemented (supports L1 search first and write later)
• Mark when duplicate code is found (supports anti-duplication checking)

Red Flags

• Stopping after the first plausible result - early matches can be stale, promotional, or unrelated.
• Changing the query without recording why - the final answer becomes impossible to audit.
• Mixing facts and inferences - source text and model judgment must be distinguishable.
• Looping past the cap - more searches are not progress if the unresolved question is unchanged.

Checklist

• State the research question before the first search.
• Record each query, result quality, and refinement reason.
• Separate sourced facts from inferred conclusions.
• Stop after the cap with explicit unresolved gaps.
• Prefer primary sources when the result affects implementation or policy.