Codebase Search

Assembly’s codebase search feature allows you to quickly find and reference code across multiple repositories. This powerful tool uses regex-based queries to provide flexible and precise search capabilities, enhancing your ability to navigate and understand large codebases.

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Getting Started with Codebase Search

To use the codebase search in Assembly, you’ll interact with a running server that indexes multiple repositories. Here’s how to get started:

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Query Syntax Basics

Understanding the query syntax is key to effective codebase searching. Here are the fundamental concepts:

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Advanced Search Techniques

Take your codebase search to the next level with these advanced features:

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Symbol Search

Search for symbol definitions (as identified by universal-ctags):

sym:main
sym:Test[A-Z]

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Case Sensitivity

By default, all-lowercase queries are case-insensitive, while queries with any uppercase characters are case-sensitive. Override this behavior with case::

readme vs readme case:yes  # Case-sensitive search for "readme"
README vs README case:no   # Case-insensitive search for "README"

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Quoted Queries

Use double quotes for queries containing spaces:

"run the test"
"goto considered harmful"

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Logical Composition

Combine search expressions for more complex queries:

this -without_this
(file:test or file:spec) lang:ruby
(database or db) -mysql

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Best Practices for Effective Codebase Search

1. Start Broad, Then Refine: Begin with a general search and use filters to narrow down results.
2. Use Regex Wisely: Leverage regex patterns for flexible matching, but be cautious of overly complex patterns.
3. Combine Filters: Use multiple filters together to pinpoint specific code areas.
4. Leverage Symbol Search: For finding function or class definitions quickly.
5. Consider Case Sensitivity: Be explicit about case when it matters for your search.

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Common Search Scenarios

Here are some example scenarios and how to approach them with codebase search: