# File Search

> Use when searching codebases (text, structural/AST, files by name, PDFs/archives, code stats) or building context before a task.

- Skill: `netresearch-file-search-skill/file-search` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 11 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add netresearch-file-search-skill/file-search`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/netresearch-file-search-skill/file-search/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- License: (MIT AND CC-BY-SA-4.0). See LICENSE-MIT and LICENSE-CC-BY-SA-4.0
- Author: netresearch (https://skillmd.com/u/netresearch-file-search-skill)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/netresearch-file-search-skill/file-search

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# File Search Skill

Efficient CLI search tools for AI agents.

## Tool Selection Guide

| Task | Use | Instead of |
|------|-----|------------|
| Search text in code files | `rg` (ripgrep) | `grep`, `grep -r` |
| Find files by name/path | `fd` | `find`, `ls -R` |
| Structural/syntax-aware code search | `sg` (ast-grep) | regex hacks |
| Apply rule packs (security/lint, taint) | `semgrep` | regex CI checks |
| Search PDFs, Office docs, archives | `rga` (ripgrep-all) | manual extraction |
| Count lines of code by language | `tokei` | `cloc`, `wc -l` |
| Code stats with complexity metrics | `scc` | `cloc`, `tokei` |

**Decision flow:** text → `rg` | structural → `sg` | rule packs →
`semgrep` | filenames → `fd` | PDFs/archives → `rga` | LOC →
`tokei`/`scc`

## Quick Examples

```bash
rg 'def \w+\(' -t py src/          # rg: text search in Python files
rg -c 'TODO' -t js | wc -l         # rg: count first, then drill down
sg --pattern 'console.log($$$)' --rewrite 'logger.info($$$)' --lang js  # sg: structural replace
fd -g '*.test.ts' --changed-within 1d  # fd: -g for compound suffixes (NOT -e)
fd -g '*_test.go' -X rg 'func Test'   # fd+rg: find files, verify contents
rga 'quarterly revenue' docs/       # rga: search inside PDFs/archives
tokei --sort code                   # tokei: language stats
scc --wide                          # scc: complexity + COCOMO
```

## Best Practices

1. **Start narrow.** Specify types (`-t`, `--lang`, `-e`), scope dirs, count first (`rg -c`).
2. **Exclude noise** (`-g '!vendor/'`, `fd -E node_modules`).
3. **Batch independent queries.** Union patterns with `rg -e P1 -e P2 -e P3` (one walk), or issue distinct queries as parallel tool calls in one message — never sequential `&&` chains.
4. **`--json`** for programmatic processing.
5. **rg ≠ fd types.** `rg -t ts` includes `.tsx`; `fd -e ts` does NOT. No `-t tsx` in rg.

See [references/search-strategies.md](references/search-strategies.md).

## Beyond Local Files

If local search finds nothing and context lives in issues/PRs/external
docs — hand off (`gh`, Jira, WebFetch). Issue keys in comments signal this.

See [references/remote-handoff.md](references/remote-handoff.md).

## References

| Topic | File |
|-------|------|
| rg flags, patterns, recipes | [references/ripgrep-patterns.md](references/ripgrep-patterns.md) |
| ast-grep patterns by language | [references/ast-grep-patterns.md](references/ast-grep-patterns.md) |
| semgrep rules and taint mode | [references/semgrep-patterns.md](references/semgrep-patterns.md) |
| fd flags, usage, fd+rg combos | [references/fd-guide.md](references/fd-guide.md) |
| rga formats, usage, caching | [references/rga-guide.md](references/rga-guide.md) |
| tokei and scc usage | [references/code-metrics.md](references/code-metrics.md) |
| PreToolUse nudge (ships with plugin) | [references/enforcement-hook.md](references/enforcement-hook.md) |
| Search targeting strategies | [references/search-strategies.md](references/search-strategies.md) |
| Remote context handoff guide | [references/remote-handoff.md](references/remote-handoff.md) |
| Modern CLI tools comparison (legacy→modern, all domains) | [cli-tools-skill/SKILL.md#preferred-modern-tools](https://github.com/netresearch/cli-tools-skill/blob/main/skills/cli-tools/SKILL.md#preferred-modern-tools) |