Smart Search
Intelligent VS Code extension for contextual search with ripgrep, Solr indexing, and AI-powered summaries.
Features
- Dual Search Modes: Choose between Live Search (workspace files) and Session Search (stored results)
- Multi-Folder Search: Automatically searches across all workspace folders with intelligent parallel processing
- Fast Text Search: Uses ripgrep for lightning-fast text search across your workspace
- Session-Based Search: Search within previously stored results for rapid exploration and refinement
- Interactive Search Settings: Fine-tune search results with customizable settings panels
- Ripgrep Settings: Adjust context lines, file patterns, and result limits
- Solr Settings: Control result scoring, sorting, file filtering, and session management
- Intelligent Indexing: Optional Solr integration for advanced search and indexing capabilities
- Auto-Suggestions: Smart query suggestions based on your search history and stored results
- AI-Powered Summaries: Get contextual summaries of search results (when enabled)
- Symbol Search: Find functions, classes, and other code symbols quickly
- Rich Results: Interactive search results panel with file navigation
- Settings Persistence: Search settings are automatically saved and applied to new searches
Installation
- Install the extension from the VS Code marketplace
- (Optional) Set up Solr for advanced indexing - see Configuration Guide
- Make sure ripgrep is installed on your system
Solr Configuration for Enhanced Highlighting
To get the best highlighting experience, configure Solr with optimized settings:
Quick Setup (Automated)
# Windows
npm run configure-solr
# Linux/Mac
npm run configure-solr-unix
Manual Setup
See the detailed configuration guide: SOLR_HIGHLIGHTING_CONFIG.md
What You Get:
- 🎯 Advanced highlighting with phrase and proximity matching
- 📝 Smart snippets with context-aware fragment generation
- ⚡ Better performance with optimized analyzers and field types
- 🎨 Rich visual formatting with multiple highlighting styles
- 🛡️ XSS protection with safe HTML rendering
Usage
Two Search Modes
Smart Search offers two distinct search modes for different use cases:
🔍 Live Search Mode
- Purpose: Search your workspace files in real-time using ripgrep
- Best for: Finding content across your entire project
- Features:
- Lightning-fast file search
- Results are automatically stored for future reference
- Full workspace coverage
- Usage: Select the "Live Search" tab and enter your query
🗂️ Session Search Mode
- Purpose: Search within previously stored search results
- Best for: Refining and exploring previous search results
- Features:
- Instant results (no file system scanning)
- Search within specific search sessions
- Perfect for iterative exploration
- Usage: Select the "Session Search" tab to search within stored results
Basic Search
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+F (or Cmd+Shift+F on Mac) to open Smart Search
- Choose your search mode (Live or Session)
- Enter your search query and press Enter
- Results will appear in a dedicated panel
Session Management
- Automatic Sessions: Each Live Search automatically creates a new session
- Session Selection: In Session Search mode, click "Change" to select a different session
- Session Info: The interface shows which session you're searching and how many results it contains
- Recent Activity: View and access your recent searches and sessions
Enhanced Query Syntax (New!)
Smart Search now supports both simple queries and advanced Solr field-specific queries:
Simple Queries (Default)
function → Searches in configured default fields (content_all, code_all)
"exact phrase" → Phrase search across default fields
test AND bug → Boolean search across default fields
Advanced Field-Specific Queries
file_name:*.js → Find JavaScript files
match_text:function AND file_extension:ts → Functions in TypeScript files
ai_summary:"bug fix" → Files with "bug fix" in AI summary
relevance_score:[50 TO *] → High relevance results only
line_number:[1 TO 100] → Results from first 100 lines
file_path:src/services/*.ts → Files in services directory
search_session_id:session_* → Results from specific sessions
Available Search Fields
- Content Fields:
content_all, code_all, match_text, full_line, ai_summary
- File Fields:
file_name, file_path, file_extension
- Metadata Fields:
line_number, column_number, relevance_score, file_size
- Session Fields:
search_session_id, original_query, search_timestamp
- Boolean Fields:
case_sensitive, whole_word
Query Examples
# Find React components
file_name:*Component.tsx
# Find high-value functions
match_text:function AND relevance_score:[75 TO *]
# Find recent bug fixes
ai_summary:bug AND search_timestamp:[NOW-7DAY TO NOW]
# Find large files with specific content
match_text:import AND file_size:[10000 TO *]
# Complex query combining multiple fields
file_extension:js AND match_text:async AND line_number:[1 TO 50]
Smart Suggestions
The search interface provides intelligent auto-suggestions based on:
- Session Content: Terms and phrases from your current search session
- Search History: Your recent queries
- File Names: Relevant file names and paths
- Global Terms: Popular terms across all stored results
User Interface Features
Modern Two-Mode Interface
- Tab-Based Mode Selection: Clearly distinguish between Live and Session search
- Visual Feedback: Different styling and icons for each search mode
- Session Info Bar: Shows which session you're searching in Session mode
- Contextual Help: Mode-specific workflow guidance
Enhanced Search Options
- Organized Settings: Search options grouped by relevance (Text Matching, Search Mode)
- Smart Defaults: Session-relevant options are highlighted when appropriate
- Visual States: Clear indication of active search mode and settings
Search Settings
Both ripgrep and Solr result panels include collapsible settings panels for fine-tuning search results:
Ripgrep Search Settings (Live Search Mode)
- Context Lines Before/After: Control how many lines of context to show around matches (0-100, default: 30)
- Include/Exclude Files: Filter results by file patterns (glob patterns, comma-separated)
- Max Results: Limit the number of results displayed (1-1000, default: 100)
Solr Search Settings (Session Search Mode)
- Max Results: Control the maximum number of results returned (1-1000, default: 100)
- Min Score: Filter results by minimum relevance score (0-100, default: 0)
- Sort Order: Choose how results are sorted (relevance, date, filename, line number)
- File Types: Filter by specific file extensions (comma-separated, e.g., "js,ts,py")
- Exclude Patterns: Exclude files matching certain patterns (e.g., "test,spec,node_modules")
- Session Filter: Search within a specific search session
Settings Persistence
All search settings are automatically persisted and will be applied to new searches until manually changed or reset.
Advanced Features
Automatic Session Creation
- Every Live Search automatically creates a new session with stored results
- Sessions are automatically named and timestamped
- Previous sessions remain available for future Session Search
Session-Scoped Search
- Latest Session Priority: Session Search defaults to your most recent session
- Session Switching: Easily switch between different stored sessions
- Session Metadata: View session details including result count and creation time
Workspace Indexing
- Use the command palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "Smart Search: Index Workspace"
- This will index your workspace for faster searches (requires Solr)
Key Workflows
Typical Search Workflow
- Start with Live Search: Use Live Search mode to find content across your workspace
- Review Results: Examine the search results and stored session information
- Refine with Session Search: Switch to Session Search mode to drill down within the results
- Iterate: Use Session Search to explore different aspects of your findings
- Session Management: Access previous sessions through the "Manage Sessions" button
Best Practices
- Use Live Search for broad discovery across your entire workspace
- Use Session Search for focused exploration and refinement
- Leverage Suggestions for faster query composition
- Organize Sessions by keeping related searches in the same session
- Monitor Session Info to understand the scope of your current search
Configuration
The extension can be configured through VS Code settings:
smart-search.solrUrl: Solr server URL (default: http://localhost:8983/solr)smart-search.enableAISummaries: Enable AI-powered summaries (default: true)smart-search.maxFiles: Maximum number of files to return results from (default: 100)smart-search.defaultSolrFields: Default Solr fields for simple queries (default: "content_all,code_all")smart-search.maxParallelFolders: Maximum folders for parallel search (default: 5)smart-search.enableDebugLogging: Enable debug logging for searches (default: false)
Search Mode Configuration
The extension automatically manages search modes, but you can influence behavior through:
- Session Management: Sessions are automatically created and managed
- Default Search Scope: Live Search is the default for new queries
- Session Retention: Previous sessions are kept available for future use
- Auto-Suggestions: Powered by session content and search history
Default Search Fields Configuration
You can customize which fields are searched by default for simple queries:
{
"smart-search.defaultSolrFields": "content_all,code_all,ai_summary"
}
Examples:
"content_all" - Search only in content"content_all,code_all" - Search in content and code (default)"match_text,file_name,file_path" - Search in specific fields only"content_all,code_all,ai_summary" - Include AI summaries in default search
Multi-Folder Search Configuration
The extension automatically searches across all workspace folders when multiple folders are open in VS Code. You can control the search behavior with these settings:
{
"smart-search.maxParallelFolders": 5,
"smart-search.enableDebugLogging": false
}
Search Strategy
- 2-5 folders: Parallel search for optimal performance
- 1 folder or 6+ folders: Sequential search to avoid system overload
- Error resilience: Failed folders don't break the entire search
Configuration Options
Benefits
- 🚀 Performance: Up to 5x faster with parallel search (2-5 folders)
- 🛡️ Reliability: Individual folder errors don't stop search
- 📊 Visibility: Optional logging shows search progress
- ⚙️ Adaptive: Automatically chooses best search strategy
- 🎯 Complete Coverage: Searches all workspace folders automatically
Requirements
- VS Code 1.74.0 or higher
- ripgrep (for text search)
- Apache Solr (optional, for advanced indexing)
Development
See the Development Guide for information on building and contributing to this extension.
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
