ripgrep Text Search

Use ripgrep (rg) when the user needs fast text or regex content search from the command line. The useful outcome is a copy-pasteable command plus a clear statement of what it matches, what it skips, and why.

Triage

Start with the smallest tool that can answer the question.

• For trivial in-conversation lookups, use the harness's built-in ripgrep-backed search tool instead of shelling out to rg.
• Use rg for exact names, strings, regex content searches, file lists, counts, and pipeline-friendly output.
• Use ast-grep for syntax shape: descendants, ancestors, call forms, decorators, missing constructs, or nested contexts.
• Use language tooling for semantic facts such as type resolution, references, imports, or rename safety.