search_conversations
Search Cursor chat content using exact text matching to find specific technical terms, error messages, or code patterns in conversations. Avoid using for project-specific searches.
Instructions
Searches through Cursor chat content using exact text matching (NOT semantic search) to find relevant discussions. WARNING: For project-specific searches, use list_conversations with projectPath instead of this tool! This tool is for searching message content, not project filtering.
WHEN TO USE THIS TOOL:
- Searching for specific technical terms in message content (e.g., "useState", "async/await")
- Finding conversations mentioning specific error messages
- Searching for code patterns or function names
WHEN NOT TO USE THIS TOOL:
- ❌ DON'T use query="project-name" - use list_conversations with projectPath instead
- ❌ DON'T search for project names in message content
- ❌ DON'T use this for project-specific filtering
Search methods (all use exact/literal text matching):
- Simple text matching: Use query parameter for literal string matching (e.g., "react hooks")
- Multi-keyword: Use keywords array with keywordOperator for exact matching
- LIKE patterns: Advanced pattern matching with SQL wildcards (% = any chars, _ = single char)
- Date range: Filter by message timestamps (YYYY-MM-DD format)
IMPORTANT: When using date filters, call get_system_info first to know today's date.
Examples: likePattern="%useState(%" for function calls, keywords=["typescript","interface"] with AND operator.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| endDate | No | End date for search (YYYY-MM-DD). Note: Timestamps may be unreliable. | |
| includeCode | No | Include code blocks in search results | |
| keywordOperator | No | How to combine keywords: "AND" = all keywords must be present, "OR" = any keyword can be present | OR |
| keywords | No | Array of keywords for exact text matching - use with keywordOperator to find conversations with specific combinations | |
| likePattern | No | SQL LIKE pattern for advanced searches - use % for any characters, _ for single character. Examples: "%useState(%" for function calls, "%.tsx%" for file types | |
| maxResults | No | Maximum number of conversations to return | |
| outputMode | No | Output format: "json" for formatted JSON (default), "compact-json" for minified JSON | json |
| query | No | Exact text matching - searches for literal string occurrences in MESSAGE CONTENT (e.g., "react hooks", "useState", "error message"). ❌ DON'T use for project names - use list_conversations with projectPath instead! | |
| searchType | No | Focus search on specific content types. Use "project" for project-specific searches that leverage file path context. | all |
| startDate | No | Start date for search (YYYY-MM-DD). Note: Timestamps may be unreliable. |