---
name: systems-manager-codebase-search
description: Fast and precise codebase search using ripgrep (rg) and glob patterns.
---
# Codebase Search Skill
This skill provides powerful capabilities for searching codebases using `ripgrep` (rg) and glob patterns. These tools are the foundation for efficient agentic exploration.
## Tools
### 1. ripgrep (rg)
- **Description**: A line-oriented search tool that recursively searches directories for a regex pattern.
- **Why use it**: It's faster than standard grep, respects `.gitignore`, and provides cleaner output for LLMs.
- **Common Flags**:
- `-n`: Show line numbers (essential for context).
- `-i`: Case insensitive search.
- `-C 2`: Show 2 lines of context around matches.
- `-t <type>`: Filter by file type (e.g., `-t py`, `-t js`).
- `-g <glob>`: Include/exclude files based on glob patterns.
- **Example Usage**:
```bash
rg "class User" -t py -n
rg "TODO" -g "!tests/" -C 2
```
### 2. Glob
- **Description**: Pattern matching for file paths.
- **Usage**: Use with `rg`, `find`, or directly via shell.
- **Patterns**:
- `*`: Matches any characters in a filename.
- `**`: Matches directories recursively.
- `?`: Matches a single character.
- `[...]`: Matches a range of characters.
- **Example**:
```bash
ls **/*.py
rg --files -g "**/*.{js,ts}"
```
## Agentic Workflow
1. **Global Discovery**: Start with `ls -R` or `fd` to map the structure.
2. **Narrow Search**: Use `glob` patterns to filter relevant files.
3. **Precise Search**: Use `rg` to find specific symbols or text within the narrowed set.
4. **Read**: Finally, read the content of the identified files.
## Best Practices
- **Prefer `rg` over `grep`**: Always use `ripgrep` for code searches due to its speed and ignore-handling.
- **Use Context**: When searching for code, always request context lines (`-C`) to understand usage.
- **Filter**: Use file type filters (`-t`) to reduce noise.
