mgrep-code-search
Skill111 starsChanged 14 days agoMITView on GitHub
Semantic code search using mgrep for efficient codebase exploration. This skill should be used when searching or exploring codebases with more than 30 non-gitignored files and/or nested directory structures. It provides natural language semantic search that complements traditional grep/ripgrep for finding features, understanding intent, and exploring unfamiliar code.
We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent
5 rules. About 0 are common, 2 are distinctive, and 3 are very specific to this project.
≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈2
Distinctive · estimate
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
3
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.
- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Distinctive: line 21
Use traditional grep/ripgrep when:
- Distinctive: line 30
Before searching, start the watcher to index the repository:
- Very specific: line 110
Always use bunx @mixedbread/mgrep to run commands (not npm/npx or direct installation)
- Very specific: line 111
Run bunx @mixedbread/mgrep watch before searching to ensure the index is current
- Very specific: line 113
Create .mgrepignore for additional exclusions
≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 308,232 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
mgrep Code Search
Overview
mgrep is a semantic search tool that enables natural language queries across code, text, PDFs, and images. It is particularly effective for exploring larger or complex codebases where traditional pattern matching falls short.
When to Use This Skill
Use mgrep when:
- The codebase contains more than 30 non-gitignored files
- There are nested directory structures
- Searching for concepts, features, or intent rather than exact strings
- Exploring an unfamiliar codebase
- Need to understand "where" or "how" something is implemented
Use traditional grep/ripgrep when:
- Searching for exact patterns or symbols
- Regex-based refactoring
- Tracing specific function or variable names
Quick Start
Indexing
Before searching, start the watcher to index the repository:
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep watchThe watch command indexes the repository and maintains synchronisation with file changes. It respects .gitignore and .mgrepignore patterns.
Searching
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep "your natural language query" [path]Search Commands
Basic Search
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep "where is authentication configured?"
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep "how do we handle errors in API calls?" src/
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep "database connection setup" src/libSearch Options
| Option | Description |
-m <count> | Maximum results (default: 10) |
-c, --content | Display full result content |
-a, --answer | Generate AI-powered synthesis of results |
-s, --sync | Update index before searching |
--no-rerank | Disable relevance optimisation |
Examples with Options
# Get more results
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep -m 25 "user authentication flow"
# Show full content of matches
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep -c "error handling patterns"
# Get an AI-synthesised answer
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep -a "how does the caching layer work?"
# Sync index before searching
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep -s "payment processing" src/servicesWorkflow
- Start watcher (once per session or when files change significantly):
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep watch - Search semantically:
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep "what you're looking for" [optional/path] - Refine as needed using path constraints or options:
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep -m 20 -c "refined query" src/specific/directory
Environment Variables
Configure defaults via environment variables:
| Variable | Purpose |
MGREP_MAX_COUNT | Default result limit |
MGREP_CONTENT | Enable content display (1/true) |
MGREP_ANSWER | Enable AI synthesis (1/true) |
MGREP_SYNC | Pre-search sync (1/true) |
Important Notes
- Always use
bunx @mixedbread/mgrepto run commands (not npm/npx or direct installation) - Run
bunx @mixedbread/mgrep watchbefore searching to ensure the index is current - mgrep respects
.gitignorepatterns automatically - Create
.mgrepignorefor additional exclusions
Other versions2 projects use a version of this.
Word for word · 2
- derheissenberg/applicaiton★ 2100% same
- bongartzdiaz/agent-skills★ 0100% same
Edited · 0
None found.
Wrote their own version · 0
None found.
How matches are found. Word for word: the exact same text. Edited: shares passages with this file (“99% same” means 99% of its five-word phrases also appear here; 10% or more counts). Their own version: similar meaning, or, weakest, the same name. We can’t tell which project had it first. Projects are counted among the 200 most-starred candidates, and mentions are links to the repository we found, up to 50 per site, so both counts are a floor.
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