ripgrep
Efficient text search using ripgrep (rg) with one-shot patterns that minimize iterations by getting files, line numbers, and context in a single call
When & Why to Use This Skill
The ripgrep skill empowers Claude with high-performance text search capabilities, utilizing optimized 'one-shot' patterns to locate specific strings or regex patterns across large codebases. By delivering file paths, line numbers, and surrounding context in a single execution, it significantly reduces iteration cycles and context window overhead, making it an essential tool for efficient code navigation and analysis.
Use Cases
- Codebase Exploration: Rapidly locate function definitions, variable usages, or specific architectural patterns across thousands of files.
- Efficient Debugging: Search through logs or source code for error messages and stack traces, retrieving immediate surrounding context to understand the root cause.
- Refactoring and Impact Analysis: Identify all instances of a deprecated API or specific code pattern to assess the scope of required changes.
- Security and Compliance Auditing: Scan local repositories for hardcoded secrets, vulnerable code patterns, or unauthorized keywords using advanced regex filtering.
- Data Extraction from Text: Use pipe compositions (like head, sort, or wc) to perform complex text processing and statistical analysis on large datasets directly within the terminal.
| name | ripgrep |
|---|---|
| description | Efficient text search using ripgrep (rg) with one-shot patterns that minimize iterations by getting files, line numbers, and context in a single call |
ripgrep: Powerful, one-shot text search
Default Strategy
For content search: use Bash(rg) with -e 'pattern' -n -C 2 for one-shot results.
This gives files, line numbers, and context in a single call - minimizes iterations and context usage.
Always prefer getting line numbers and surrounding context over multiple search attempts.
Tool Selection
Grep tool (built on ripgrep) - Use for structured searches:
- Basic pattern matching with structured output
- File type filtering with
typeparameter - When special flags like
-F,-v,-w, or pipe composition are not needed - Handles 95% of search needs
Bash(rg) - Use for one-shot searches needing special flags or composition:
- Fixed string search (
-F) - Invert match (
-v) - Word boundaries (
-w) - Context lines with patterns (
-n -C 2) - Pipe composition (
| head,| wc -l,| sort) - Default choice for efficient one-shot results
Glob tool - Use for file name/path matching only (not content search)
When to Load Detailed Reference
Load ripgrep guide when needing:
- One-shot search pattern templates
- Effective flag combinations for complex searches
- Pipe composition patterns
- File type filters reference (
-tflags) - Pattern syntax examples
- Translation between Grep tool and rg commands
- Performance optimization for large result sets
The guide focuses on practical patterns for getting targeted results in minimal calls.