ivygrep — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Local code search and task context builder for coding agents. It packs definitions, callers, and Git diffs into Markdown within a strict token budget.
Open on GitHubWhat ivygrep does
ivygrep indexes your codebase locally to run semantic and literal searches. Queries and source files never leave your machine. On the first run, the tool downloads its default model assets and starts a background daemon. This daemon monitors file changes and updates indexes incrementally.
The ig context command prepares targeted context for coding tasks. It pulls definitions, callers, tests, and documentation. Passing --since identifies the merge base with your target branch and attaches committed changes plus uncommitted edits. The tool inspects code but never edits files.
The default model runs on the CPU across all architectures. Metal builds accelerate processing on Apple Silicon. For CUDA on Linux x86_64, you need an NVIDIA card with compute capability 8.0 or newer and the CUDA 13 runtime.
What it helps with
- search local repositories using natural language intent
- package relevant definitions and callers within an exact token budget
- include branch Git diffs and unstaged changes into agent prompts
- inspect symbols and call hierarchies without cloud dependencies
Example prompts for the agent
- Find where refresh token rotation is handled using ivygrep
- Build task context for refresh-token race fixes since main with an 8000 token budget
- Show definitions and callers for calculate_tax using ivygrep
How to install ivygrep
Install
The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about ivygrep
How to install ivygrep for Claude Code?
Install the ig binary using Homebrew with brew install bvolpato/tap/ivygrep or via the shell script curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bvolpato/ivygrep/main/install.sh | sh. On Windows, run winget install --id BrunoVolpato.ivygrep --exact.
What does ivygrep do?
It indexes local code repositories and generates bounded context packs for coding assistants. The tool gathers definitions, call sites, tests, and Git diffs into Markdown fitted to a specified token budget.
Does ivygrep require a dedicated GPU?
No, the default model runs on CPU across all platforms. GPU acceleration is optional, supporting Metal on Apple Silicon or CUDA 13 on Linux with compute capability 8.0 or newer.
