lightonai/colgrep/src/install

Semantic Code Search

This repository has colgrep installed - a semantic code search CLI.

Use colgrep as your PRIMARY search tool instead of Search / Grep / Glob.

Quick Reference

# Basic semantic search
colgrep "<natural language query>" --results 10   # Basic search
colgrep "<query>" -k 25                           # Exploration (more results)
colgrep "<query>" ./src/parser                    # Search in specific folder
colgrep "<query>" ./src/main.rs                   # Search in specific file
colgrep "<query>" ./src/main.rs ./src/lib.rs      # Search in multiple files
colgrep "<query>" ./crate-a ./crate-b             # Search multiple directories

# File filtering
colgrep --include="*.rs" "<query>"                # Include only .rs files
colgrep --include="src/**/*.rs" "<query>"         # Recursive glob pattern
colgrep --include="*.{rs,md}" "<query>"           # Multiple file types (brace expansion)
colgrep --exclude="*.test.ts" "<query>"           # Exclude test files
colgrep --exclude-dir=vendor "<query>"            # Exclude vendor directory

# Pattern-only search (no semantic query needed)
colgrep -e "<pattern>"                            # Search by pattern only
colgrep -e "async fn" --include="*.rs"            # Pattern search with file filter

# Hybrid search (text + semantic)
colgrep -e "<text>" "<semantic query>"            # Hybrid: text + semantic
colgrep -e "<regex>" -E "<semantic query>"        # Hybrid with extended regex (ERE)
colgrep -e "<literal>" -F "<semantic query>"      # Hybrid with fixed string (no regex)
colgrep -e "<word>" -w "<semantic query>"         # Hybrid with whole word match

# Output options
colgrep -l "<query>"                              # List files only
colgrep -n 6 "<query>"                            # Show 6 context lines (use -n for more context)
colgrep --json "<query>"                          # JSON output

Grep-Compatible Flags

| Flag | Description | Example | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | -e <PATTERN> | Text pattern pre-filter | colgrep -e "async" "concurrency" | | -E | Extended regex (ERE) for -e | colgrep -e "async\|await" -E "concurrency" | | -F | Fixed string (no regex) for -e | colgrep -e "foo[bar]" -F "query" | | -w | Whole word match for -e | colgrep -e "test" -w "testing" | | -k, --results | Number of results to return | colgrep --results 20 "query" | | -n, --lines | Number of context lines (default: 6) | colgrep -n 10 "query" | | -l | List files only | colgrep -l "authentication" | | -r | Recursive (default, for compatibility) | colgrep -r "query" | | --include | Include files matching pattern (repeatable) | colgrep --include="*.py" "query" | | --exclude | Exclude files matching pattern | colgrep --exclude="*.min.js" "query" | | --exclude-dir | Exclude directories | colgrep --exclude-dir=node_modules "query" |

Notes:

• -F takes precedence over -E (like grep)
• Default exclusions always apply: .git, node_modules, target, .venv, __pycache__
• When running from a subdirectory, results are restricted to that subdirectory. To search the full project, specify . or .. as the path
• Multiple --include patterns use OR logic (matches if file matches any pattern)
• Brace expansion is supported: *.{rs,md,py} expands to match all three types

When to Use What

| Task | Tool | | ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Find code by intent/description | colgrep "query" -k 10 | | Explore/understand a system | colgrep "query" -k 25 (increase k) | | Search by pattern only | colgrep -e "pattern" (no semantic query) | | Know text exists, need context | colgrep -e "text" "semantic query" | | Literal text with special chars | colgrep -e "foo[0]" -F "semantic query" | | Whole word match | colgrep -e "test" -w "testing utilities" | | Search in a specific file | colgrep "query" ./src/main.rs | | Search in multiple files | colgrep "query" ./src/main.rs ./src/lib.rs | | Search specific file type | colgrep --include="*.ext" "query" | | Search multiple file types | colgrep --include="*.{rs,md,py}" "query" | | Exclude test files | colgrep --exclude="*_test.go" "query" | | Exclude vendor directories | colgrep --exclude-dir=vendor "query" | | Search in specific directories | colgrep --include="src/**/*.rs" "query" | | Search multiple directories | colgrep "query" ./src ./lib ./api | | Search CI/CD configs | colgrep --include="**/.github/**/*" "q" . | | Need more context lines | colgrep -n 10 "query" | | Exact string/regex match only | Built-in Grep tool | | Find files by name | Built-in Glob tool |

Key Rules

1. Default to colgrep for any code search
2. Increase --results (or -k) when exploring (20-30 results)
3. Use -e for hybrid text+semantic filtering
4. Use -E with -e for extended regex (alternation |, quantifiers +?, grouping ())
5. Use -F with -e when pattern contains regex special characters you want literal
6. Use -w with -e to avoid partial matches (e.g., "test" won't match "testing")
7. Use --exclude/--exclude-dir to filter out noise (tests, vendors, generated code)
8. Use brace expansion for multiple file types (e.g., --include="*.{rs,md,py}")
9. Agents should use colgrep - when spawning Task/Explore agents, they should also use colgrep instead of Grep

Need Help?

Run colgrep --help for complete documentation on all flags and options.