search_in_file
Find text patterns in specific files using regex search with context lines and case sensitivity options to locate code sections and content efficiently.
Instructions
Search for patterns within a specific file using ripgrep. Like Ctrl+F but with regex support. Useful for finding specific sections in a known file.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| path | Yes | File path to search within | |
| pattern | Yes | Regex pattern to search for | |
| caseInsensitive | No | Ignore case in search. Default: true | |
| contextLines | No | Lines of context before/after match | |
| literalString | No | Treat pattern as literal string, not regex | |
| wordBoundary | No | Match whole words only |
Implementation Reference
- ripgrep.ts:171-207 (handler)Core handler function that performs the ripgrep search within a specific file, constructing arguments and executing the command.export async function ripgrepSearchInFile( filePath: string, pattern: string, options: { caseInsensitive?: boolean; contextLines?: number; literalString?: boolean; wordBoundary?: boolean; } = {} ): Promise<RipgrepResult> { const args: string[] = ['--json', '--no-config']; if (options.contextLines !== undefined && options.contextLines > 0) { args.push('-C', options.contextLines.toString()); } if (options.caseInsensitive) { args.push('-i'); } if (options.literalString) { args.push('-F'); } if (options.wordBoundary) { args.push('-w'); } args.push(pattern); args.push(filePath); const startTime = Date.now(); const result = await executeRipgrep(args, pattern, [filePath]); result.summary.searchTimeMs = Date.now() - startTime; return result; }
- index.ts:169-206 (registration)Registration of the 'search_in_file' tool in the MCP tools list, including name, description, and JSON input schema.{ name: 'search_in_file', description: 'Search for patterns within a specific file using ripgrep. Like Ctrl+F but with regex support. Useful for finding specific sections in a known file.', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { path: { type: 'string', description: 'File path to search within' }, pattern: { type: 'string', description: 'Regex pattern to search for' }, caseInsensitive: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Ignore case in search. Default: true', default: true }, contextLines: { type: 'number', description: 'Lines of context before/after match', default: 3 }, literalString: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Treat pattern as literal string, not regex', default: false }, wordBoundary: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Match whole words only', default: false } }, required: ['path', 'pattern'] } },
- index.ts:365-372 (schema)Zod validation schema matching the tool inputSchema for runtime input validation in the dispatch handler.const schema = z.object({ path: z.string(), pattern: z.string(), caseInsensitive: z.boolean().optional().default(true), contextLines: z.number().optional().default(3), literalString: z.boolean().optional().default(false), wordBoundary: z.boolean().optional().default(false) });
- index.ts:364-388 (handler)MCP server dispatch handler case for 'search_in_file' that validates arguments, calls the core handler, and formats the response.case 'search_in_file': { const schema = z.object({ path: z.string(), pattern: z.string(), caseInsensitive: z.boolean().optional().default(true), contextLines: z.number().optional().default(3), literalString: z.boolean().optional().default(false), wordBoundary: z.boolean().optional().default(false) }); const { path, pattern, caseInsensitive, contextLines, literalString, wordBoundary } = schema.parse(args); const validatedPath = await validatePath(path); const result = await ripgrepSearchInFile( validatedPath, pattern, { caseInsensitive, contextLines, literalString, wordBoundary } ); return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify(result, null, 2) }] }; }
- ripgrep.ts:30-52 (helper)Type definition for the output structure returned by search functions.export interface RipgrepResult { query: { pattern: string; searchedPaths: string[]; options?: any; }; summary: { totalMatches: number; filesWithMatches: number; searchTimeMs: number; }; pagination?: { page: number; pageSize: number; totalPages: number; hasMore: boolean; }; matches: RipgrepMatch[]; ripgrepDetails: { commandUsed: string; explanation: string; }; suggestions?: string[];