Code Search

Explores codebases efficiently using MCP tools before falling back to file reads.

When to Use

• Finding functions, classes, or patterns
• Understanding feature implementation
• Tracing dependencies and call chains
• Architecture boundary verification
• Gathering context for documentation

MCP Workflow

# 1. Check past context
claude-mem.search(query="<keyword>", project="<project>")

# 2. Get file overview
serena.get_symbols_overview(relative_path="target/directory")

# 3. Find symbol (signature only first)
serena.find_symbol(name_path="ClassName", depth=1, include_body=False)

# 4. Get body only when needed
serena.find_symbol(name_path="ClassName/method", include_body=True)

# 5. Trace dependencies
serena.find_referencing_symbols(name_path="ClassName/method")

# 6. Framework patterns
context7.get-library-docs("<framework>", topic="<topic>")

Search Patterns

By Name

serena.find_symbol("*Service", include_kinds=[5])      # Classes
serena.find_symbol("UserService/create", include_body=True)  # Method

By Pattern (TOKEN CRITICAL - Always Scope!)

# WRONG - Will return 20k+ tokens:
serena.search_for_pattern("@Cacheable|@cached")

# CORRECT - Scoped and limited:
serena.search_for_pattern(
    substring_pattern="@Cacheable",
    relative_path="module-core-domain/",
    context_lines_after=1,
    max_answer_chars=3000
)

Dependencies

serena.find_referencing_symbols("UserService/create")  # Who calls this?

Architecture

serena.search_for_pattern("import.*infra", relative_path="src/domain/")

For Documentation

# Public APIs (classes, methods)
serena.get_symbols_overview(depth=1)                    # Module structure
serena.find_symbol("*Service", depth=1, include_body=False)  # Signatures

# Find existing docs
serena.find_file(file_mask="*.md", relative_path=".")
serena.find_file(file_mask="README*", relative_path=".")

Output Format

## Search: [Target]

| File | Symbol | Line | Type |
|------|--------|------|------|
| path/file | Class.method | 45 | function |

### Key Code
[Relevant snippet - max 20 lines]

### Dependencies
- Calls: [list]
- Called By: [list]

Symbol Kinds

Kind	Number	Description
Class	5	Class definition
Method	6	Class method
Function	12	Standalone function
Interface	11	Interface

Efficiency Rules

Do:

• Start with

  get_symbols_overview

  before reading files
• Use

  include_body=False

  first
• Limit searches with

  relative_path

Avoid:

• Reading entire files before symbol search
• Fetching bodies for signature checks
• Broad searches without scope restriction