---
name: searching-sourcegraph
description: Use when the user needs to search or navigate code with Sourcegraph MCP tools.
---

# Searching Sourcegraph

You have access to Sourcegraph search and code navigation tools through MCP.

This plugin does not carry the Sourcegraph server. If these tools are not available, ask the user to add it as a custom server (HTTP) in Settings: the address `https://<your-sourcegraph-instance>/.api/mcp`, signing in when asked or with the header `Authorization` set to `token <your Sourcegraph access token>`.

## Tools

- `nls_search({ query })`: semantic search for natural-language exploration.
- `keyword_search({ query })`: keyword or regex search using Sourcegraph query syntax.
- `read_file({ repo, path, startLine?, endLine?, revision? })`: fetch file contents.
- `list_repos({ query, limit?, after?, before? })`: discover relevant repositories.
- `list_files({ repo, path?, revision? })`: list files and directories.
- `go_to_definition({ repo, path, symbol, revision? })`: locate symbol definitions.
- `find_references({ repo, path, symbol, revision? })`: find symbol usage.
- `commit_search({ repos, messageTerms?, authors?, contentTerms?, files?, after?, before? })`: search commit history.
- `diff_search({ pattern, repos, added?, removed?, author?, after?, before? })`: search code diffs.
- `compare_revisions({ repo, base, head, first?, after? })`: compare two revisions.
- `get_contributor_repos({ author, limit?, minCommits? })`: discover contributor activity by repo.
- `deepsearch({ question })`: run Sourcegraph Deep Search for complex, multi-step questions.
- `deepsearch_read({ identifier })`: read a Deep Search conversation by URL or token.

## Workflow

1. Start with a constrained search (`repo:`, `file:`, `lang:`, `type:` when possible).
2. If results are broad, add constraints and rerun.
3. Read promising files with `read_file` to confirm behavior.
4. Iterate queries based on findings.

Prefer `nls_search` for exploration and `keyword_search` for precision.

## Query Tips

- Use `repo:^github\\.com/org/repo$` for exact repository matching.
- Use `file:\\.(go|ts|py)$` to constrain by extension.
- Use `type:symbol` for definitions and `type:file` for content matches.