# codebase-search

A skill that turns "where does this live" requests into one search packet and returns an evidence map before you edit.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 392 installs · ★ 50
- Author: akillness
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/akillness/jeo-skills/tree/HEAD/.agent-skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/codebase-search

## What it does

The skill acts as a packet router, not a search tutorial. It normalizes your request into one primary packet: exact text, symbols and indexes, code structure, config and content, hosted search, or graph path tracing. Then it narrows scope and reads only the winning files.

Inside is a step-by-step flow: normalize the request, pick the packet, narrow by directory or file type, read definitions and consumers, and answer with an evidence map of paths and lines. It also knows when to hand off. Once the area is found and you need diagnosis, it routes to `debugging` or `log-analysis`; for a migration plan it points to `code-refactoring`.

You need access to `Read`, `Grep`, `Glob` and `Bash`. Structural search relies on tools like ast-grep or Semgrep, and symbol lookup needs an LSP or an indexed search. On a small repo you already know by heart, the skill just adds steps.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add akillness/jeo-skills --skill codebase-search -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/codebase-search/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add akillness/jeo-skills --skill codebase-search -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add akillness/jeo-skills --skill codebase-search -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install akillness/jeo-skills codebase-search
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add akillness/jeo-skills --skill codebase-search -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/akillness/jeo-skills --path .agent-skills/codebase-search
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add akillness/jeo-skills --skill codebase-search -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/akillness/jeo-skills/tree/HEAD/.agent-skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- find where a function is defined and who calls it
- separate authored files from vendor and generated folders
- identify which files own config and template surfaces
- size up the impact surface before a change
- hand off from search to bug diagnosis without losing context

## Example prompts
- find where this handler is defined and who calls it
- which files own the config and templates in this repo
- what should I inspect before changing this schema

## Similar
- [file-search](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/file-search.md) — skill · 521 installs
- [search-router](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/search-router.md) — skill · 485 installs
- [ast-grep-outline](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ast-grep-outline.md) — skill · 2400 installs
- [morph-search](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/morph-search.md) — skill · 489 installs
- [review-delta](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/review-delta.md) — skill · 1200 installs
- [file-operations](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/file-operations.md) — skill · 414 installs

From the same set: [akillness/jeo-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/akillness/jeo-skills.md) — 22 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md