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Searching Sourcegraph

ClineOfficialPublished by Cline

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • Apache-2.0
  • No issues found

From the author

Use when the user needs to search or navigate code with Sourcegraph MCP tools. Provides disciplined search workflows for finding implementations, understanding systems, debugging issues, fixing bugs, and reviewing code.
— the description by Cline

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured approach to using Sourcegraph MCP tools for code exploration, debugging, and development. It emphasizes disciplined search workflows, starting with narrow scopes to improve precision and efficiency. The guide covers tool selection logic, query patterns, and best practices for chaining operations like searching, reading files, and tracing references to minimize token usage and maximize context accuracy.

What it does

  • Provides a decision framework for selecting the right search tool based on user intent.
  • Defines scoping strategies to limit searches to specific repositories, files, or languages.
  • Outlines efficient workflows for feature implementation, bug fixing, and system understanding.
  • Offers specific query patterns for common development tasks like finding React hooks or API routes.
  • Establishes best practices for interpreting search results and minimizing redundant tool calls.
  • Integrates with specialized workflows for debugging, code review, and deep system analysis.

When to use it

  • When you need to find specific implementations or patterns within a large codebase.
  • When troubleshooting errors, build failures, or runtime exceptions.
  • When you need to understand how a specific feature or system component works.
  • When reviewing pull requests or changesets to ensure consistency.
  • When you need to identify who worked on specific code or which repositories a contributor has touched.

Advantages

  • Reduces token consumption by promoting precise, scoped search queries.
  • Ensures consistency by encouraging the reuse of existing patterns and utilities.
  • Provides a logical, repeatable process for debugging and code exploration.
  • Helps maintain context by chaining search, read, and reference-tracing operations.
  • Prevents common mistakes like searching across unnecessary repositories.

Usage examples

“How does the authentication flow work in our backend repository?”
The agent uses deepsearch to identify relevant files, reads the core authentication logic, and summarizes the flow using the codebase's own terminology.
“Find all usages of the 'UserSession' interface in the frontend.”
The agent applies a keyword_search scoped to the frontend repository and file type, then lists the relevant files and line numbers.
“I am getting a null pointer exception in the payment service, help me debug.”
The agent extracts the error symbol, searches for the error site, traces the call chain with find_references, and checks recent commits for regressions.
“Which repositories has the user 'jdoe' contributed to recently?”
The agent uses get_contributor_repos to identify active repositories for the user, allowing for scoped searches in subsequent steps.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/cline/searching-sourcegraph/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip searching-sourcegraph.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Cline

Searching Sourcegraph

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

Tool Selection Logic

Start here:

  1. Know the exact symbol or pattern? → keyword_search

  2. Know the concept, not the code? → nls_search

  3. Need to understand how/why? → deepsearch → deepsearch_read

  4. Tracing a symbol's usage? → find_references

  5. Need full implementation? → go_to_definition → read_file

  6. Need to know what repos a user has worked on? → get_contributor_repos

GoalTool
Concepts/semantic searchnls_search
Exact code patternskeyword_search
Trace usagefind_references
See implementationgo_to_definition
Initiate a deep searchdeepsearch
Read deep search resultsdeepsearch_read
Read filesread_file
Browse structurelist_files
Find reposlist_repos
Search commitscommit_search
Track changesdiff_search
Compare versionscompare_revisions
Find repos a user has worked onget_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

IntentQuery
React hooksfile:.*\.tsx$ use[A-Z].*= \(
API routesfile:src/api app\.(get|post|put|delete)
Error handlingcatch.*Error|\.catch\(
Type definitionsfile:types/ export (interface|type)
Test setupfile:.*\.test\. beforeEach|beforeAll
Config filesfile:(webpack|vite|rollup)\.config
CI/CDfile:\.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

MistakeFix
Searching all reposAdd repo:^github.com/org/repo$
Too many resultsAdd file: pattern or keywords
Missing relevant codeTry nls_search for semantic matching
Not understanding contextUse deepsearch_read
Guessing patternsRead 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

Files

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Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

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Attribution and licence

Published by
Cline
Publisher
Cline (Official)
Source
cline/skills · skills/searching-sourcegraph · commit 2637846
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
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