How do I install the Use CLI Ast Grep skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add thkt/use-cli-ast-grep 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.

What does the Use CLI Ast Grep skill do?

Structural search and rewrite by AST pattern via ast-grep CLI. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Use CLI Ast Grep safe to use?

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

Which AI agents work with Use CLI Ast Grep?

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 Use CLI Ast Grep free to use?

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

Who published Use CLI Ast Grep?

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

Use CLI Ast Grep by thkt — Agent Skill

Name: Use CLI Ast Grep
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: thkt

File contents

use-cli-ast-grep

When to use

Structural queries and rewrites only. Route a match by AST shape to ast-grep, and keep text or regex matching on ugrep and bfs, and symbol-level call graphs on codegraph.

Question	Tool
Structural match / rewrite by AST pattern, syntax-tree unit	ast-grep
Free-text, literal string, or regex search	ugrep / bfs
Symbol-level callers / callees, change impact	codegraph
Reading or editing one already-known location	Read / Edit

Commands

run is a one-off search or rewrite, scan applies a rule file at scale, and outline extracts a symbol listing.

Purpose	Command
Pattern search	`ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -l <lang> <PATHS>`
Pattern rewrite (with interactive confirm)	`ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -r '<fix>' -l <lang> -i <PATHS>`
Pattern rewrite (apply all, no confirm)	`ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -r '<fix>' -l <lang> -U <PATHS>`
Rule-file scan / rewrite	`ast-grep scan -r <rule.yml> <PATHS>`
Symbol listing (structure overview)	`ast-grep outline -l <lang> <PATHS>`
JSON output	`ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' --json <PATHS>`

Prerequisites

The call carries 3 required constraints.

Item	Detail
State PATHS explicitly	`run` / `scan` / `outline` default PATHS to the whole current directory (`.`). Never omit it; state the target path on every call
`-U` on a clean tree only	`-U` applies every rewrite without confirmation. Confirm a clean tree with `git status` before running it, and never run it on a dirty tree
`.ja/` in the same pass	When the target has a `.ja/` counterpart (see MIRROR.md), process both the `.ja/` side and the English side in the same session. Rewriting one side alone breaks the mirror

The help output is authoritative

Options, output format and exit codes live in ast-grep --help and ast-grep <subcommand> --help. Where help and memory differ, help is right.

---name: use-cli-ast-grepdescription: Structural search and rewrite by AST pattern via ast-grep CLI.---# use-cli-ast-grep## When to useStructural queries and rewrites only. Route a match by AST shape to ast-grep, and keep text or regex matching on ugrep and bfs, and symbol-level call graphs on codegraph.| Question | Tool || ----------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- || Structural match / rewrite by AST pattern, syntax-tree unit | ast-grep || Free-text, literal string, or regex search | ugrep / bfs || Symbol-level callers / callees, change impact | codegraph || Reading or editing one already-known location | Read / Edit |## Commands`run` is a one-off search or rewrite, `scan` applies a rule file at scale, and `outline` extracts a symbol listing.| Purpose | Command || ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- || Pattern search | `ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -l <lang> <PATHS>` || Pattern rewrite (with interactive confirm) | `ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -r '<fix>' -l <lang> -i <PATHS>` || Pattern rewrite (apply all, no confirm) | `ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' -r '<fix>' -l <lang> -U <PATHS>` || Rule-file scan / rewrite | `ast-grep scan -r <rule.yml> <PATHS>` || Symbol listing (structure overview) | `ast-grep outline -l <lang> <PATHS>` || JSON output | `ast-grep run -p '<pattern>' --json <PATHS>` |## PrerequisitesThe call carries 3 required constraints.| Item | Detail || ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- || State PATHS explicitly | `run` / `scan` / `outline` default PATHS to the whole current directory (`.`). Never omit it; state the target path on every call || `-U` on a clean tree only | `-U` applies every rewrite without confirmation. Confirm a clean tree with `git status` before running it, and never run it on a dirty tree || `.ja/` in the same pass | When the target has a `.ja/` counterpart (see MIRROR.md), process both the `.ja/` side and the English side in the same session. Rewriting one side alone breaks the mirror |## The help output is authoritativeOptions, output format and exit codes live in `ast-grep --help` and `ast-grep <subcommand> --help`. Where help and memory differ, help is right.

Frequently asked questions

Use CLI Ast Grep