Codebase Search Skill
SkillSearchPreferred local codebase-understanding workflow for Pi and Codex. Start with codebase_context before shell search or broad reads, then use specialized semantic and graph tools.
Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.
No other account needed.
Connect ahel once, and every AI you use reads what you have installed.
Then ask your AI: use the Codebase Search Skill skill
What this skill tells your AI
The instructions your AI receives, as published by helweg/open-codebase-index in skills/codebase-search/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.
Use this skill when you need local repository knowledge before web lookup.
Core workflow
- Run
index_statuswhen index readiness or freshness is unknown. - Use
codebase_context(query, ...)before shell search, grep, or broad file reads. Passsymbolfor an authoritative definition orfrom+tofor a dependency path. - Use
codebase_peek(query, ...)for specialized metadata-only conceptual lookup. - Use
codebase_search(query, ...)when you need full code context. - Use
implementation_lookup(query)for known-symbol definitions andcall_graph/call_graph_pathfor execution flow. - Use
find_similar(code)for duplicate patterns and refactor planning.
If results are weak, run index_status (check readiness) and index_codebase.
Tool Priority
codebase_contextas the preferred first repository tool and unified router.codebase_peekfor specialized discovery (fastest, cheap tokens).codebase_searchfor exact implementation review.find_similarfor pattern matching and duplication.call_graphandcall_graph_pathfor execution flow.index_codebase(force/estimate/verbose) for first-time or stale indexes.index_status,index_health_check,index_metrics,index_logsfor operational checks.
Suggested Commands
codebase_peek("payment processing flow")codebase_search("payment processing flow")call_graph("chargeCard", "callees")find_similar("function validate(data)")implementation_lookup("validate")
Additional Notes
- Use
grepfor exact identifiers and tiny, deterministic lookups. - Use
websearchonly when local tools return no results and docs are likely missing. - Prefer
codebase_peekbeforecodebase_searchto avoid high token usage.
Signals
- GitHub stars
- 190
- Forks
- 29
- Last commit
- Sep 2026
Advanced
- Catalog kind
- skill
- Gateway key
codebase-search-helweg- Source
- github.com/helweg/open-codebase-index