Searching Sourcegraph

Search before you build. Existing patterns reduce tokens, ensure consistency, and surface tested solutions.

Tool Selection Logic

Start here:

Know the exact symbol or pattern? → keyword_search
Know the concept, not the code? → nls_search
Need to understand how/why? → deepsearch → deepsearch_read
Tracing a symbol's usage? → find_references
Need full implementation? → go_to_definition → read_file
Need to know what repos a user has worked on? → get_contributor_repos

Goal	Tool
Concepts/semantic search	`nls_search`
Exact code patterns	`keyword_search`
Trace usage	`find_references`
See implementation	`go_to_definition`
Initiate a deep search	`deepsearch`
Read deep search results	`deepsearch_read`
Read files	`read_file`
Browse structure	`list_files`
Find repos	`list_repos`
Search commits	`commit_search`
Track changes	`diff_search`
Compare versions	`compare_revisions`
Find repos a user has worked on	`get_contributor_repos`

Scoping (Always Do This)

repo:^github.com/ORG/REPO$           # Exact repo (preferred)
repo:github.com/ORG/                 # All repos in org
file:.*\.ts$                         # TypeScript only
file:src/api/                        # Specific directory
file:.*\.test\.ts$ -file:__mocks__   # Tests, exclude mocks

Start narrow. Expand only if results are empty.

Combine filters: repo:^github.com/myorg/backend$ file:src/handlers lang:typescript

Context-Aware Behaviour

When the user provides a file path or error message:

Extract symbols, function names, or error codes
Search for those exact terms first
Trace references if the error involves a known symbol

When the user asks "how does X work":

Use deepsearch to initiate the search, then deepsearch_read to retrieve results
Follow up with read_file on key files mentioned in the response

When the user asks who worked on something or what repos a contributor has touched:

Use get_contributor_repos with one or more usernames to discover their active repositories
Then scope subsequent searches to those repos

When the user is implementing a new feature:

Search for similar existing implementations first
Read tests for usage examples
Check for shared utilities before creating new ones

When troubleshooting an error, build failure, or runtime exception:

Extract exact symbols, error codes, or log lines from the stack trace or build output
Search for the error site, then trace the full call chain with find_references
Check recent changes with diff_search and commit_search early — regressions are common
Identify all affected code paths and services before proposing a fix

When fixing a bug:

Extract exact symbols from the error message or stack trace
Search for the error site, then trace the full call chain with find_references
Check recent changes with diff_search and commit_search early — regressions are common
Find all affected code paths before writing the fix
Read existing tests to understand intended behaviour

Workflows

For detailed step-by-step workflows, see:

workflows/implementing-feature.md — when building new features
workflows/understanding-code.md — when exploring unfamiliar systems
workflows/debugging-issue.md — when troubleshooting errors, build failures, stack traces, support issues, or runtime exceptions
workflows/fixing-bug.md — when fixing bugs with extensive Sourcegraph search
workflows/code-review.md — when reviewing a pull request or changeset

Efficiency Rules

Minimise tool calls:

Chain searches logically: search → read → references → definition
Don't re-search for the same pattern; use results from prior calls
Prefer keyword_search over nls_search when you have exact terms (faster, more precise)

Batch your understanding:

Read 2-3 related files before synthesising, rather than reading one and asking questions
Use deepsearch + deepsearch_read for "how does X work" instead of multiple keyword searches

Avoid common token waste:

Don't search all repos when you know the target repo
Don't use deepsearch for simple "find all" queries — keyword_search is faster
Don't re-read files you've already seen in this conversation

Query Patterns

Intent	Query
React hooks	`file:.\.tsx$ use[A-Z].= \(`
API routes	`file:src/api app\.(get\|post\|put\|delete)`
Error handling	`catch.*Error\|\.catch\(`
Type definitions	`file:types/ export (interface\|type)`
Test setup	`file:.*\.test\. beforeEach\|beforeAll`
Config files	`file:(webpack\|vite\|rollup)\.config`
CI/CD	`file:\.github/workflows deploy`

For more patterns, see query-patterns.md.

Output Formatting

Search results:

Present as a brief summary, not raw tool output
Highlight the most relevant file and line
Include a code snippet only if it directly answers the question

Code explanations:

Start with a one-sentence summary
Use the codebase's own terminology
Reference specific files and functions

Recommendations:

Present as numbered steps if actionable
Link to specific patterns found in the codebase
Note any existing utilities that should be reused

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Searching all repos	Add `repo:^github.com/org/repo$`
Too many results	Add `file:` pattern or keywords
Missing relevant code	Try `nls_search` for semantic matching
Not understanding context	Use `deepsearch_read`
Guessing patterns	Read implementations with `read_file`

Principles

Start narrow, expand if needed
Chain tools: search → read → find references → definition
Check tests for usage examples
Read before generating

searching-sourcegraph