File

File Operations

When to Use

Invoke this skill for any task involving the file system:

• Creating or writing new files with specific content
• Reading or viewing existing file contents
• Editing, updating, or overwriting existing files
• Renaming, moving, or copying files and directories
• Deleting files or directories (with confirmation for destructive ops)
• Finding files by name pattern or content
• Listing and exploring directory structures
• Batch file operations across multiple files

Procedures

Creating a File

1. Confirm the target path (absolute or workspace-relative).
2. Check if the file already exists — warn before overwriting.
3. Write the content using the create_file tool.
4. Verify the file was created with a follow-up read or directory listing.

Editing an Existing File

1. Read first: Always read the file before editing to understand context.
2. Use replace_string_in_file for targeted edits (include 3–5 lines of context around the change).
3. Use multi_replace_string_in_file when making multiple independent changes at once.
4. After editing, validate the result (re-read the changed section or check for errors).

Finding Files

1. Use file_search with a glob pattern when you know the filename pattern (e.g. **/*.json).
2. Use grep_search when searching by file content or a string inside files.
3. Use list_dir to explore a specific directory's contents.
4. Combine glob + grep for pattern-based content searches across matched files.

Moving / Renaming Files

1. Use the terminal with mv <source> <destination> (reversible within the workspace).
2. For renames that affect imports or references, search for all usages first.
3. Confirm with the user before moving files outside the workspace.

Deleting Files

Requires confirmation — deletion is not easily reversible.

1. List the files to be deleted and present them to the user for review.
2. Use rm (file) or rm -rf (directory) ONLY after explicit user confirmation.
3. Prefer moving to a backup location over permanent deletion when in doubt.

Organizing a Directory

1. Use list_dir to audit the current structure.
2. Propose a new structure to the user before making changes.
3. Use mv commands in the terminal, batched where possible.
4. Update any references (imports, configs, paths) affected by the reorganization.

Key Principles

• Read before write: Never edit a file without reading it first.
• Reversibility: Prefer edits and moves over deletions. Ask before destructive ops.
• Absolute paths: Always use absolute paths in tool calls.
• Batch parallel reads: When checking multiple files, read them in parallel.
• Validate after write: After creating or editing, confirm the result is correct.

Examples

Create a config file:

/file create a .env.example with DATABASE_URL, API_KEY, and DEBUG vars

Find all test files:

/file find all test files under workspace/

Reorganize a directory:

/file move all *.log files in /tmp into /tmp/logs/

Bulk edit:

/file replace all occurrences of "localhost:8080" with "localhost:3000" in config files