search_conversations
Search Cursor chat content using exact text matching to find discussions containing specific technical terms, error messages, or code patterns.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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! | |
| keywords | No | Array of keywords for exact text matching - use with keywordOperator to find conversations with specific combinations | |
| keywordOperator | No | How to combine keywords: "AND" = all keywords must be present, "OR" = any keyword can be present | OR |
| likePattern | No | SQL LIKE pattern for advanced searches - use % for any characters, _ for single character. Examples: "%useState(%" for function calls, "%.tsx%" for file types | |
| startDate | No | Start date for search (YYYY-MM-DD). Note: Timestamps may be unreliable. | |
| endDate | No | End date for search (YYYY-MM-DD). Note: Timestamps may be unreliable. | |
| searchType | No | Focus search on specific content types. Use "project" for project-specific searches that leverage file path context. | all |
| maxResults | No | Maximum number of conversations to return | |
| includeCode | No | Include code blocks in search results | |
| outputMode | No | Output format: "json" for formatted JSON (default), "compact-json" for minified JSON | json |