context-engine

Context-Engine

Search and retrieve code context from any codebase using hybrid vector search (semantic + lexical) with neural reranking.

Client- or provider-specific wrapper files should stay thin and defer to this document for shared MCP tool-selection and search guidance.

Quickstart

1. Start with search for most codebase questions.
2. Use symbol_graph first for direct symbol relationships such as callers, definitions, importers, subclasses, and base classes.
3. Use graph_query only if that tool is available and you need transitive impact, dependency, or cycle analysis; otherwise combine symbol_graph with targeted search.
4. Prefer MCP tools for exploration. Narrow grep/file-open use is still fine for exact literal confirmation, exact file/path confirmation, or opening a file you already identified for editing.
5. Use cross_repo_search for multi-repo questions. For public V1 context_search, treat include_memories=true as compatibility-only: it preserves response shape but keeps results code-only and may add memory_note.

Decision Tree: Choosing the Right Tool

What do you need?
    |
    +-- UNSURE or GENERAL QUERY --> search (RECOMMENDED DEFAULT)
    |       |
    |       +-- Auto-detects intent and routes to the best tool
    |       +-- Handles: code search, Q&A, tests, config, symbols, imports
    |       +-- Use this when you don't know which specialized tool to pick
    |
    +-- Find code locations/implementations
    |       |
    |       +-- Unsure what tool to use → search (DEFAULT - routes to repo_search if needed)
    |       +-- Speed-critical or complex filters → repo_search (skip routing overhead)
    |       +-- Want LLM explanation → context_answer
    |
    +-- Understand how something works
    |       |
    |       +-- Want LLM explanation --> search OR context_answer
    |       +-- Just code snippets --> search OR repo_search with include_snippet=true
    |
    +-- Find similar code patterns (retry loops, error handling, etc.)
    |       |
    |       +-- Have code example --> pattern_search with code snippet (if enabled)
    |       +-- Describe pattern --> pattern_search with natural language (if enabled)
    |
    +-- Find specific file types
    |       |
    |       +-- Test files --> search OR search_tests_for
    |       +-- Config files --> search OR search_config_for
    |
    +-- Find relationships
    |       |
    |       +-- Direct callers/defs/importers/inheritance --> search OR symbol_graph
    |       +-- Multi-hop callers --> symbol_graph (depth=2+)
    |       +-- Deep impact/dependencies/cycles --> graph_query (if available) OR symbol_graph + targeted search
    |
    +-- Git history
    |       |
    |       +-- Find commits --> search_commits_for
    |       +-- Predict co-changing files --> search_commits_for with predict_related=true
    |
    +-- Store/recall knowledge --> memory_store, memory_find
    |
    +-- Preserve public search shape while accepting memory flags --> context_search with include_memories=true (compatibility-only in V1)
    |
    +-- Multiple independent searches at once
            |
            +-- batch_search (runs N repo_search calls in one invocation, ~75% token savings)

Standard Parameters Reference

All SaaS-exposed tools organize parameters into families with consistent naming and behavior.

Family 1: Code Search Tools

Applies to: search, repo_search, code_search, batch_search, info_request, context_search

Standard Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required?	Default	Purpose
query	string or string[]	YES	—	Single query OR array of queries for fusion
language	string	optional	(auto-detect)	Filter by language: "python", "typescript", "go", etc.
under	string	optional	(root)	Path prefix filter, e.g., "src/api/" or "tests/"
path_glob	string[]	optional	(all)	Include patterns: ["**/*.ts", "lib/**"]
not_glob	string[]	optional	(none)	Exclude patterns: ["**/test_*", "**/*_test.*"]
symbol	string	optional	(all)	Filter by symbol name (function, class, variable)
kind	string	optional	(all)	AST node type: "function", "class", "method", "variable"
ext	string	optional	(all)	File extension: "py", "ts", "go" (alias for language)
repo	string or string[]	optional	(default)	Repository filter: single repo OR list OR "*" for all
limit	int	optional	10	Max results to return (1-100)
include_snippet	bool	optional	true	Include code snippets in results
compact	bool	optional	false	Strip verbose fields from response
output_format	string	optional	"json"	"json" (structured) OR "toon" (token-efficient)
rerank_enabled	bool	optional	true	Enable neural reranking (default ON)
case	string	optional	(insensitive)	"sensitive" for case-sensitive matching
context_lines	int	optional	2	Lines of context around matches
per_path	int	optional	2	Max results per file

Standard Constraints:

• limit max 100 (higher values slow queries)
• query max 400 characters / 50 words
• language must be valid code language or auto-detection will fail silently
• path_glob / not_glob support glob patterns (*, **, ?)
• Multiple query terms are fused via Reciprocal Rank Fusion (RRF) for better recall

Family 2: Symbol Graph Tools

Applies to: symbol_graph, batch_symbol_graph, graph_query, batch_graph_query

Standard Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required?	Default	Purpose
symbol	string	YES	—	Symbol name to analyze (e.g., "authenticate", "UserService.get_user")
query_type	string	optional	"callers"	"callers", "callees", "definition", "importers", "subclasses", "base_classes", "impact", "cycles", "transitive_callers", "transitive_callees", "dependencies"
depth	int	optional	1	Traversal depth: 1=direct, 2=callers of callers, etc. (symbol_graph: max 3, graph_query: max 5+)
language	string	optional	(auto)	Filter by language for multi-language codebases
under	string	optional	(all)	Path prefix filter
limit	int	optional	20	Max results to return
include_paths	bool	optional	false	Include full traversal paths (graph_query only)
output_format	string	optional	"json"	"json" or "toon"
repo	string	optional	(default)	Repository filter
collection	string	optional	(session)	Target collection (use session defaults)

Standard Constraints:

• symbol must be exact match or use fuzzy fallback
• query_type is case-sensitive
• depth > 3 may be slow on large graphs
• Results are auto-hydrated with code snippets

Family 3: Specialized Search Tools

Applies to: search_tests_for, search_config_for, search_callers_for, search_importers_for, search_commits_for

Standard Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required?	Default	Purpose
query	string	YES	—	Natural language or symbol name
limit	int	optional	10	Max results to return
language	string	optional	(auto)	Filter by language
under	string	optional	(all)	Path prefix filter

Additional Parameters:

Tool	Extra Parameters
search_commits_for	path (optional), predict_related (bool, default false)
All others	(inherit code search family)

Family 4: Memory Tools

Applies to: memory_store, memory_find

Standard Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required?	Default	Purpose
information	string	YES (store)	—	Knowledge to persist (clear, self-contained)
query	string	YES (find)	—	Search for stored knowledge by similarity
metadata	dict	optional (store)	{}	Structured metadata: kind, topic, priority (1-5), tags, author
kind	string	optional (find)	(all)	Filter by kind: "memory", "note", "decision", "convention", "gotcha", "policy"
topic	string	optional (find)	(all)	Filter by topic: "auth", "database", "api", "caching", etc.
tags	string or string[]	optional (find)	(all)	Filter by tags: ["security", "sql", ...]
priority_min	int	optional (find)	1	Minimum priority threshold (1-5)
limit	int	optional	10	Max results to return

Family 5: Batch Tools

Applies to: batch_search, batch_symbol_graph, batch_graph_query

Standard Parameters (Shared across all queries):

Parameter	Type	Purpose
searches / queries	array	Array of individual search/query specs (max 10 items)
collection	string	Shared default collection for all queries
language	string	Shared default language filter
under	string	Shared default path prefix
limit	int	Shared default result limit
output_format	string	"json" or "toon" for all results

Per-Search Overrides: Each item in searches / queries can override ANY shared parameter.

Example: searches[0] has different limit than searches[1]

Family 6: Cross-Repo & Admin Tools

Applies to: cross_repo_search, qdrant_status, qdrant_list, set_session_defaults

Standard Parameters:

Tool	Parameters
cross_repo_search	query, collection, target_repos, discover, trace_boundary, boundary_key
qdrant_status / qdrant_list	(no parameters)
set_session_defaults	collection, language, under, output_format, limit

---

Unified Search: search (RECOMMENDED DEFAULT)

Use search as your PRIMARY tool. It auto-detects query intent and routes to the best specialized tool. No need to choose between 15+ tools.

{
  "query": "authentication middleware"
}

Returns:

{
  "ok": true,
  "intent": "search",
  "confidence": 0.92,
  "tool": "repo_search",
  "result": {
    "results": [...],
    "total": 8
  },
  "plan": ["detect_intent", "dispatch_repo_search"],
  "execution_time_ms": 245
}

What it handles automatically:

• Code search ("find auth middleware") -> routes to repo_search
• Q&A ("how does caching work?") -> routes to context_answer
• Test discovery ("tests for payment") -> routes to search_tests_for
• Config lookup ("database settings") -> routes to search_config_for
• Symbol queries ("who calls authenticate") -> routes to symbol_graph
• Import tracing ("what imports CacheManager") -> routes to search_importers_for

Override parameters (all optional):

{
  "query": "error handling patterns",
  "limit": 5,
  "language": "python",
  "under": "src/api/",
  "include_snippet": true
}

When to use search:

• You're unsure which specialized tool to use
• You want intent auto-detection (routing to repo_search, context_answer, symbol_graph, tests, etc.)
• Acceptable latency overhead: ~50-100ms for routing + tool execution
• You're doing exploratory queries where routing overhead is negligible

When NOT to use search:

• You know you need raw code results (use repo_search directly)
• Time is critical (<100ms target) and routing overhead matters
• You're in a tight loop doing 10+ sequential searches (use batch_search instead)

Routing Performance:

• Intent detection: ~10-20ms
• Tool dispatch: ~5-10ms
• Total routing overhead: ~20-40ms typical, up to ~100ms worst-case
• For time-critical loops: skip routing with repo_search directly

When to use specialized tools instead:

• Cross-repo search -> cross_repo_search
• Multiple independent searches -> batch_search (N searches in one call, ~75% token savings)
• Memory storage/retrieval -> memory_store, memory_find
• Admin/diagnostics -> qdrant_status, qdrant_list
• Pattern matching (structural) -> pattern_search

When to use repo_search instead of search:

• Full control over filters: You know exactly what you're searching for and want to apply specific language, path, or symbol filters without auto-detection overhead
  • Example: "In a polyglot repo, I need Python code only" → use repo_search with language="python" to avoid search's auto-detected language=javascript
  • Example: "Find only test files matching a pattern" → use repo_search with path_glob="**/test_*.py" directly
• Speed-critical queries (<100ms target): You can't afford the ~20-40ms routing overhead
  • Example: Time-sensitive tool loops where each query must complete in <50ms
• Complex filter combinations: You need language + under + not_glob together, not guessed by auto-detection
• Guaranteed exact behavior: You want reproducible results without routing confidence variations (search routing confidence varies 0.6-0.95)
• Known tool type: You already know you need code results (not Q&A, tests, configs, or symbols) so routing is wasted

Example: When search guesses wrong:

SEARCH (auto-routes, may detect wrong intent):
query: "authenticate in FastAPI"
confidence: 0.75
intent: "Q&A - what does authenticate do in FastAPI?"
→ routes to context_answer, returns explanation instead of code

REPO_SEARCH (explicit, predictable):
query: "authenticate"
language: "python"
under: "src/auth/"
→ returns code implementations in src/auth/ only, no routing overhead

Routing Overhead: When It Matters

Latency Impact of Using search vs repo_search directly:

Scenario	search Latency	repo_search Latency	Routing Cost	Use search?
One exploratory query	~150-200ms	~80-100ms	~70-100ms	YES (worth it for auto-routing)
3 independent queries, sequential	~450-600ms	~240-300ms	~210-300ms	NO (use batch_search instead)
Time-critical query (<50ms)	Can miss deadline	~80-100ms	❌ Unacceptable	NO (use repo_search)
Tight loop (20+ queries)	~3000-4000ms	~1600-2000ms	~1400-2000ms	NO (use batch_search)

Decision Criteria:

• Use search when: One-off query, exploratory, unsure which tool, latency <200ms is acceptable
• Use repo_search when: Speed <100ms required, complex filter combo needed, tight loop (use batch_search if >2 queries), know you need code (not Q&A)
• Use batch_search when: 2+ independent code searches to reduce routing overhead by 75-85% per batch

Real-world example - Interactive AI assistant loop:

Bad (repeated routing overhead):
for query in user_queries:  # 5 queries
    result = search(query)  # ~70-100ms routing × 5 = 350-500ms wasted

Good (one batch call):
results = batch_search([query1, query2, query3, query4, query5])  # Routing once, ~25ms × 5 = 125ms
# Saves ~300ms+ per iteration

Primary Search: repo_search

Use repo_search (or its alias code_search) for direct code lookups when you need full control. Reranking is ON by default.

{
  "query": "database connection handling",
  "limit": 10,
  "include_snippet": true,
  "context_lines": 3
}

Returns:

{
  "results": [
    {"score": 3.2, "path": "src/db/pool.py", "symbol": "ConnectionPool", "start_line": 45, "end_line": 78, "snippet": "..."}
  ],
  "total": 8,
  "used_rerank": true
}

Multi-query for better recall - pass a list to fuse results:

{
  "query": ["auth middleware", "authentication handler", "login validation"]
}

Apply filters to narrow results:

{
  "query": "error handling",
  "language": "python",
  "under": "src/api/",
  "not_glob": ["**/test_*", "**/*_test.*"]
}

Search across repos (same collection):

{
  "query": "shared types",
  "repo": ["frontend", "backend"]
}

Use repo: "*" to search all indexed repos.

Search across repos (separate collections — use cross_repo_search):

// cross_repo_search
{"query": "shared types", "target_repos": ["frontend", "backend"]}
// With boundary tracing for cross-repo flow discovery
{"query": "login submit", "trace_boundary": true}

Available Filters

• language - Filter by programming language
• under - Path prefix (e.g., "src/api/")
• path_glob - Include patterns (e.g., ["/*.ts", "lib/"])
• not_glob - Exclude patterns (e.g., ["**/test_*"])
• symbol - Symbol name match
• kind - AST node type (function, class, etc.)
• ext - File extension
• repo - Repository filter for multi-repo setups
• case - Case-sensitive matching

Batch Search: batch_search

Run N independent repo_search calls in a single MCP tool invocation. Reduces token overhead by ~75-85% compared to sequential calls.

Token Savings & Latency Metrics:

N Searches	Token Savings	Sequential Latency	Batch Latency	Worth Batching?
1	0%	~100ms	N/A	N/A
2	~40%	~180-200ms	~150-160ms	✅ YES (save 30-40ms, 40% tokens)
3	~55%	~270-300ms	~180-200ms	✅ YES (save 90-100ms, 55% tokens)
5	~70%	~450-500ms	~220-250ms	✅ YES (save 250ms, 70% tokens)
10	~75%	~900-1000ms	~300-350ms	✅ YES (save 600ms, 75% tokens)

Decision Rule: Always use batch_search when you have 2+ independent code searches. The latency savings alone (30-100ms faster) justify batching, plus you save ~40-75% tokens.

{
  "searches": [
    {"query": "authentication middleware", "limit": 5},
    {"query": "rate limiting implementation", "limit": 5},
    {"query": "error handling patterns"}
  ],
  "compact": true,
  "output_format": "toon"
}

Returns:

{
  "ok": true,
  "batch_results": [result_set_0, result_set_1, result_set_2],
  "count": 3,
  "elapsed_ms": 245
}

Each result_set has the same schema as repo_search output.

Shared parameters (applied to all searches unless overridden per-search):

• collection, output_format, compact, limit, language, under, repo, include_snippet, rerank_enabled

Per-search overrides: Each entry in searches can include any repo_search parameter to override the shared defaults.

Limits: Maximum 10 searches per batch.

When to use batch_search vs multiple search calls:

• Use batch_search when you have 2+ independent code searches and want to minimize token usage and round-trips
• Use individual search calls when you need intent routing (Q&A, symbol graph, etc.) or when searches depend on each other's results

Simple Lookup: info_request

Use info_request for natural language queries with minimal parameters:

{
  "info_request": "how does user authentication work"
}

Add explanations:

{
  "info_request": "database connection pooling",
  "include_explanation": true
}

Q&A with Citations: context_answer

Use context_answer when you need an LLM-generated explanation grounded in code:

{
  "query": "How does the caching layer invalidate entries?",
  "budget_tokens": 2000
}

Returns an answer with file/line citations. Use expand: true to generate query variations for better retrieval.

Pattern Search: pattern_search (Optional)

Note: This tool may not be available in all deployments. If pattern detection is disabled, calls return {"ok": false, "error": "Pattern search module not available"}.

Find structurally similar code patterns across all languages. Accepts either code examples or natural language descriptions—auto-detects which.

Code example query - find similar control flow:

{
  "query": "for i in range(3): try: ... except: time.sleep(2**i)",
  "limit": 10,
  "include_snippet": true
}

Natural language query - describe the pattern:

{
  "query": "retry with exponential backoff",
  "limit": 10,
  "include_snippet": true
}

Cross-language search - Python pattern finds Go/Rust/Java equivalents:

{
  "query": "if err != nil { return err }",
  "language": "go",
  "limit": 10
}

Explicit mode override - force code or description mode:

{
  "query": "error handling",
  "query_mode": "description",
  "limit": 10
}

Key parameters:

• query - Code snippet OR natural language description
• query_mode - "code", "description", or "auto" (default)
• language - Language hint for code examples (python, go, rust, etc.)
• limit - Max results (default 10)
• min_score - Minimum similarity threshold (default 0.3)
• include_snippet - Include code snippets in results
• context_lines - Lines of context around matches
• aroma_rerank - Enable AROMA structural reranking (default true)
• aroma_alpha - Weight for AROMA vs original score (default 0.6)
• target_languages - Filter results to specific languages

Returns:

{
  "ok": true,
  "results": [...],
  "total": 5,
  "query_signature": "L2_2_B0_T2_M0",
  "query_mode": "code",
  "search_mode": "aroma"
}

The query_signature encodes control flow: L (loops), B (branches), T (try/except), M (match).

Specialized Search Tools

search_tests_for - Find test files:

{"query": "UserService", "limit": 10}

search_config_for - Find config files:

{"query": "database connection", "limit": 5}

search_callers_for - Find callers of a symbol:

{"query": "processPayment", "language": "typescript"}

search_importers_for - Find importers:

{"query": "utils/helpers", "limit": 10}

symbol_graph - Symbol graph navigation (callers / callees / definition / importers / subclasses / base classes):

Query types:

Type	Description
callers	Who calls this symbol?
callees	What does this symbol call?
definition	Where is this symbol defined?
importers	Who imports this module/symbol?
subclasses	What classes inherit from this symbol?
base_classes	What classes does this symbol inherit from?

Examples:

{"symbol": "ASTAnalyzer", "query_type": "definition", "limit": 10}

{"symbol": "get_embedding_model", "query_type": "callers", "under": "scripts/", "limit": 10}

{"symbol": "qdrant_client", "query_type": "importers", "limit": 10}

{"symbol": "authenticate", "query_type": "callees", "limit": 10}

{"symbol": "BaseModel", "query_type": "subclasses", "limit": 20}

{"symbol": "MyService", "query_type": "base_classes"}

• Supports language, under, depth, and output_format like other tools.
• Use depth=2 or depth=3 for multi-hop traversals (callers of callers).
• If there are no graph hits, it falls back to semantic search.
• Note: Results are "hydrated" with ~500-char source snippets for immediate context.

graph_query - Advanced graph traversals and impact analysis (available to all SaaS users):

Query types:

Type	Description
callers	Direct callers of this symbol
callees	Direct callees of this symbol
transitive_callers	Multi-hop callers (up to depth)
transitive_callees	Multi-hop callees (up to depth)
impact	What would break if I change this symbol?
dependencies	Combined calls + imports
definition	Where is this symbol defined?
cycles	Detect circular dependencies involving this symbol

Examples:

{"symbol": "UserService", "query_type": "impact", "depth": 3}

{"symbol": "auth_module", "query_type": "cycles"}

{"symbol": "processPayment", "query_type": "transitive_callers", "depth": 2, "limit": 20}

• Supports language, under, depth, limit, include_paths, and output_format.
• Use include_paths: true to get full traversal paths in results.
• Use depth to control how many hops to traverse (default varies by query type).
• Note: symbol_graph is always available (Qdrant-backed). graph_query provides advanced Memgraph-backed traversals and is available to all SaaS users.

Comparison: symbol_graph vs graph_query

Feature	symbol_graph	graph_query
Availability	Always (Qdrant-backed)	SaaS/Enterprise (Memgraph-backed)
Performance	~2-5ms per query	~50-200ms per query
Supported Relationships	callers, callees, definition, importers, subclasses, base_classes	All symbol_graph + impact, cycles, transitive_*
Max Depth	up to 3	up to 5+
Best For	Direct relationships, exploratory queries	Impact analysis, dependency chains, circular detection
Fallback When Unavailable	Falls back to semantic search	N/A (use symbol_graph instead)
Latency-Critical Loops	✅ YES (fast)	❌ NO (slower)

Decision Guide:

• Use symbol_graph for: direct callers/callees/definitions, inheritance queries, when you need speed, always as first stop
• Use graph_query for: impact analysis ("what breaks?"), cycle detection, transitive chains, when available and you need depth >3

search_commits_for - Search git history:

{"query": "fixed authentication bug", "limit": 10}

Predict co-changing files (predict_related mode):

{"path": "src/api/auth.py", "predict_related": true, "limit": 10}

Returns ranked files that historically co-change with the given path, along with the most relevant commit message explaining why.

change_history_for_path - File change summary:

{"path": "src/api/auth.py", "include_commits": true}

Memory: Store and Recall Knowledge

Memory tools allow you to persist team knowledge, architectural decisions, and findings for later retrieval across sessions.

Memory Workflow: Store → Retrieve → Reuse

Phase 1: During Exploration (Session 1) As you discover important patterns, decisions, or findings, store them for future reference:

{
  "memory_store": {
    "information": "Auth service uses JWT tokens with 24h expiry. Refresh tokens last 7 days. Stored in Redis with LRU eviction.",
    "metadata": {
      "kind": "decision",
      "topic": "auth",
      "priority": 5,
      "tags": ["security", "jwt", "session-management"]
    }
  }
}

Phase 2: In Later Sessions Retrieve and reuse stored knowledge by similarity:

{
  "memory_find": {
    "query": "token expiration policy",
    "topic": "auth",
    "limit": 5
  }
}

Returns the exact note stored in Phase 1, plus any other auth-related memories.

Phase 3: Blend Code + Memory When you want BOTH code search results AND stored team knowledge:

{
  "context_search": {
    "query": "authentication flow",
    "include_memories": true,
    "per_source_limits": {"code": 6, "memory": 3}
  }
}

Returns: 6 code snippets + 3 memory notes, all ranked by relevance.

Timeline and Persistence

Property	Behavior
Searchability	Memories searchable immediately after memory_store (indexing is instant)
Persistence	Memories persist across sessions indefinitely (durable storage)
Scope	Org/workspace scoped: one team's memories don't leak to another
Latency	~100ms per memory_find query (same as code search)
Storage	Embedded in same Qdrant collection as code, but logically isolated

Real-World Example: Session Continuity

Session 1 (Day 1) - Discovery:

Context: Investigating why JWT refresh tokens sometimes expire unexpectedly

→ memory_store(
    information="Found: RefreshTokenManager.py line 89 uses session.expire_in instead of constants.REFRESH_TTL. This was a bug introduced in PR #1234 where the constant was 7 days but the session value was hardcoded to 3 days. The mismatch causes premature expiration.",
    metadata={"kind": "gotcha", "topic": "auth", "tags": ["bug", "jwt"], "priority": 4}
  )

Session 2 (Day 5) - Troubleshooting a Similar Issue:

→ memory_find(query="refresh token expiration problem", topic="auth")

Response: Found Session 1's note about the RefreshTokenManager bug, plus similar findings about token TTL misconfigurations.

→ User goes directly to line 89 of RefreshTokenManager.py and verifies the fix status.

Result: Problem solved in 2 minutes instead of 30 minutes of debugging.

When to Store What

Memory Kind	Use Case	Example
decision	Architectural choices and their rationale	"We chose JWT over sessions because stateless scaling"
gotcha	Subtle bugs or trap conditions	"RefreshTokenManager line 89 has TTL mismatch"
convention	Team patterns and standards	"All API responses use envelope pattern with status/data/errors"
note	General findings or context	"Auth service was moved to separate repo last month"
policy	Compliance or operational rules	"Session tokens must be rotated every 24h per SOC2"

Integration with Code Search

Pattern 1: Pure Code Search

{"search": "authentication validation"}

Returns: code snippets only. Fast, no memory overhead.

Pattern 2: Code + Memory Blend

{
  "context_search": {
    "query": "authentication validation",
    "include_memories": true,
    "per_source_limits": {"code": 5, "memory": 2}
  }
}

Returns: 5 code snippets + 2 relevant memory notes (team insights about auth validation patterns).

Pattern 3: Memory Only

{"memory_find": {"query": "authentication patterns", "limit": 10}}

Returns: stored team knowledge about auth, useful for onboarding or architecture review.

Common Patterns

Team Onboarding:

• New engineer joins → memory_find(query="project architecture", topic="architecture")
• Retrieves all stored architectural decisions in one place
• Much faster than reading scattered code comments

Incident Response:

• Production auth bug occurs
• → memory_find(query="auth failures", priority_min=3)
• Retrieves gotchas, prior incidents, and known traps
• Faster root-cause diagnosis

Code Review Efficiency:

• Reviewer checks PR modifying auth module
• → context_search(query="authentication standards", include_memories=true)
• Sees both current code AND team conventions/policies
• Makes more informed review decisions

Error Cases and Recovery

Error	Cause	Recovery
"No results from memory_find"	Query too specific or memories not yet stored	Broaden query, check metadata filters (topic, tags, kind)
"Memory not found in next session"	Wrong workspace/collection or stale cache	Verify workspace matches, run qdrant_list to confirm collection
"include_memories=true returns only code"	Memory store empty for this workspace	Start storing with memory_store - next session will have memories
"Duplicate memories with same info"	Same finding discovered twice	Use memory_find with topic/tags filter, consolidate via note

Admin and Diagnostics

qdrant_status - Check index health:

{}

qdrant_list - List all collections:

{}

embedding_pipeline_stats - Get cache efficiency, bloom filter stats, pipeline performance:

{}

set_session_defaults - Set defaults for session:

{"collection": "my-project", "language": "python"}

Deployment Mode Capabilities

SaaS Mode: In SaaS deployments, indexing is handled automatically by the VS Code extension upload service. The tools below marked "Self-Hosted Only" are not available in SaaS mode. All search, symbol graph, memory, and session tools work normally.

Self-Hosted Only Tools (not available in SaaS):

Tool	Purpose	When to Use
qdrant_index_root	Index entire workspace	Initial indexing or after major codebase reorg
qdrant_index	Index subdirectory	Incremental indexing of specific folders
qdrant_prune	Remove stale entries	Clean up entries from deleted files

Tool Availability Matrix

Which tools are available in which deployment modes:

Tool Category	Tool	SaaS	Self-Hosted	Enterprise
Search	search	✅	✅	✅
	repo_search / code_search	✅	✅	✅
	cross_repo_search	✅	✅	✅
	batch_search	✅	✅	✅
Search (Specialized)	info_request	✅	✅	✅
	context_answer	✅	✅	✅
	search_tests_for	✅	✅	✅
	search_config_for	✅	✅	✅
	search_callers_for	✅	✅	✅
	search_importers_for	✅	✅	✅
	search_commits_for	✅	✅	✅
	change_history_for_path	✅	✅	✅
	pattern_search (if enabled)	✅*	✅*	✅*
Symbol Graph	symbol_graph	✅	✅	✅
	batch_symbol_graph	✅	✅	✅
	graph_query	✅ (limited)**	✅	✅
	batch_graph_query	✅ (limited)**	✅	✅
Memory	memory_store	✅	✅	✅
	memory_find	✅	✅	✅
	context_search	✅	✅	✅
Session	set_session_defaults	✅	✅	✅
	expand_query	✅	✅	✅
Admin	qdrant_status	✅	✅	✅
	qdrant_list	✅	✅	✅
	embedding_pipeline_stats	✅	✅	✅
	qdrant_index_root	❌	✅	✅
	qdrant_index	❌	✅	✅
	qdrant_prune	❌	✅	✅

Legend:

• ✅ = Available
• ❌ = Not available
• ✅* = Pattern search available only if enabled during deployment
• ✅ (limited)** = SaaS graph_query has limited depth/performance vs Enterprise with dedicated Memgraph

Choosing Your Deployment Mode

Requirement	Best Fit
Automatic indexing via VS Code	SaaS
Manual control over indexing pipeline	Self-Hosted
Advanced graph queries (cycles, impact analysis)	Self-Hosted or Enterprise
High-performance graph traversal	Enterprise (dedicated Memgraph)
Cost-sensitive small team	SaaS (pay per upload)
Large codebase with frequent indexing	Self-Hosted (unlimited reindex)

Error Handling and Recovery

Tools return structured errors via error field or ok: false flag. Below are common errors and recovery steps by category.

Search Tools (search, repo_search, batch_search, info_request)

Error	HTTP 400?	Cause	Recovery Steps
"Collection not found"	Yes	Collection doesn't exist, workspace hasn't been indexed, or collection was deleted	1. Run qdrant_list() to verify available collections 2. Check workspace name in config matches indexed name 3. If missing: re-upload workspace to indexing service 4. If collection exists but stale: wait for background refresh or trigger reindex
"Invalid language filter"	Yes	language parameter has invalid value	Use only valid language codes: "python", "typescript", "go", "rust", "java", etc. Check qdrant_status for supported languages
"Timeout during rerank"	No (504)	Reranking took too long (default 5s timeout)	Set rerank_enabled: false to skip reranking OR set rerank_timeout_ms: 10000 for longer timeout OR reduce limit to speed up reranking
"Empty results"	No (200)	Query too specific, collection not fully indexed, or no matches exist	1. Broaden query (remove filters, use more general terms) 2. Check language filter is correct 3. Run qdrant_status to see point count 4. If points=0: indexing is incomplete, wait and retry
"Query too long"	Yes	Query exceeds 400 chars or 50 words	Shorten query or split into multiple searches
"Syntax error in path_glob"	Yes	Invalid glob pattern in path_glob or not_glob	Check glob syntax: valid wildcards are * (any), ** (any directories), ? (any single char)

Silent Failure Watches:

• Empty results when expecting matches → check under path filter (may be excluding files)
• Results from wrong language → verify language parameter is set correctly
• Reranking disabled silently → check rerank_timeout_ms if you set custom timeout
• Wrong collection queried → session defaults may not match workspace (use set_session_defaults to "cd" into correct collection)

Symbol Graph Tools (symbol_graph, batch_symbol_graph, graph_query)

Error	Cause	Recovery Steps
"Symbol not found"	Symbol doesn't exist, wrong name, or graph not indexed	1. Verify exact symbol name using repo_search(symbol="...") 2. Check spelling and case sensitivity 3. If graph unavailable: use repo_search instead 4. For imported symbols: search with full module path
"Graph unavailable / not ready"	Memgraph backend not initialized (graph_query only)	Fall back to symbol_graph (always available) graph_query requires SaaS/Enterprise plan with Neo4j/Memgraph
"Depth too high"	depth parameter exceeds max for this tool	Reduce depth: symbol_graph max 3, graph_query max 5+ For deeper chains, use multiple queries with results as input
"Timeout during graph traversal"	Graph query took too long	Reduce depth, reduce limit, or use smaller under path filter

Silent Failure Watches:

• No callers found when method is clearly called → fuzzy fallback may have triggered, use repo_search to verify method exists
• Symbol seems undefined but code uses it → cross-module imports may not be resolved in graph yet

Context Answer (LLM-powered explanation)

Error	Cause	Recovery Steps
"Insufficient context"	Retrieved code wasn't enough to answer question	1. Rephrase question more specifically 2. Use expand: true to generate query variations 3. Increase budget_tokens for deeper retrieval 4. Use repo_search first to verify code exists
"Timeout during retrieval or generation"	LLM generation or retrieval took >60s	Set rerank_enabled: false to skip reranking Reduce budget_tokens for faster shallow retrieval Ask simpler question requiring less context
"Budget exceeded"	Generated answer would use >budget_tokens	Increase budget_tokens or ask more focused question

Memory Tools (memory_store, memory_find)

Error	Cause	Recovery Steps
"Memory not found"	No memories match query or metadata filters	1. Broaden query (more general terms) 2. Remove metadata filters (topic, kind, priority_min) 3. Check if memories exist: memory_find(query="*") 4. Verify workspace/collection (memories are org-scoped)
"Storage failure"	Backend couldn't persist memory	Retry memory_store - likely transient Check qdrant_status for cluster health
"Duplicate memory detected" (warning)	Similar memory already exists with higher priority	Review existing memories first: memory_find(query="...", topic="...") Consolidate if same information

Batch Tools (batch_search, batch_symbol_graph)

Error	Cause	Recovery Steps
"Too many searches"	searches / queries array > 10 items	Split into multiple batch calls (max 10 per call) If independent: use sequential calls (lower token savings but more granular) If dependent: must be sequential anyway
"Mixed error in batch"	Some queries succeeded, others failed	Check individual batch_results array for per-query ok: false Failed queries return error details in batch_results[i].error Successful queries still have results in batch_results[i].results
"Timeout on any query"	One query in the batch timed out	Set rerank_enabled: false in that query's override Reduce limit for slow queries Consider running that query separately

Cross-Repo & Discovery

Error	Cause	Recovery Steps
"No collections found"	No indexed repositories available OR discover mode="never"	1. Run qdrant_list() manually to see available collections 2. Try discover: "always" in cross_repo_search 3. Verify workspace is indexed 4. If nothing indexed: use upload_service to index workspace
"Multiple ambiguous collections"	User query matched multiple repos but target unclear	Use target_repos: [...] to explicitly specify repos OR use boundary_key to search with exact interface name OR do two separate targeted searches
"Boundary key not found"	boundary_key doesn't exist in other repo	Verify boundary_key is exact string (routes, event names, type names) May be named slightly differently in other repo (check similar names) Try broader search instead of boundary tracing

Logging and Diagnostics

When errors persist:

1. Check cluster health: qdrant_status() shows point counts, last indexed time, scanned_points
2. List available collections: qdrant_list() with include_status=true shows health per collection
3. Check embedding stats: embedding_pipeline_stats() shows cache hit rate, dedup efficiency
4. Verify auth: If authentication errors, check workspace/org identity matches request
5. Review recent changes: If started failing recently, check change_history_for_path() for relevant commits

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Multi-Repo Navigation (CRITICAL)

When multiple repositories are indexed, you MUST discover and explicitly target collections.

Discovery (Lazy — only when needed)

Don't discover at every session start. Trigger when: search returns no/irrelevant results, user asks a cross-repo question, or you're unsure which collection to target.

// qdrant_list — discover available collections
{}

Context Switching (Session Defaults = cd)

Treat set_session_defaults like cd — it scopes ALL subsequent searches:

// "cd" into backend repo — all searches now target this collection
// set_session_defaults
{"collection": "backend-api-abc123"}

// One-off peek at another repo (does NOT change session default)
// search (or repo_search)
{"query": "login form", "collection": "frontend-app-def456"}

For unified collections: use "repo": "*" or "repo": ["frontend", "backend"]

Cross-Repo Flow Tracing (Boundary-Driven)

NEVER search both repos with the same vague query. Find the interface boundary in Repo A, extract the hard key, then search Repo B with that specific key.

Pattern 1 — Interface Handshake (API/RPC):

// 1. Find client call in frontend
// search
{"query": "login API call", "collection": "frontend-col"}
// → Found: axios.post('/auth/v1/login', ...)

// 2. Search backend for that exact route
// search
{"query": "'/auth/v1/login'", "collection": "backend-col"}

Pattern 2 — Shared Contract (Types/Schemas):

// 1. Find type usage in consumer
// symbol_graph
{"symbol": "UserProfile", "query_type": "importers", "collection": "frontend-col"}

// 2. Find definition in source
// search
{"query": "interface UserProfile", "collection": "shared-lib-col"}

Pattern 3 — Event Relay (Pub/Sub):

// 1. Find producer → extract event name
// search
{"query": "publish event", "collection": "service-a-col"}
// → Found: bus.publish("USER_CREATED", payload)

// 2. Find consumer with exact event name
// search
{"query": "'USER_CREATED'", "collection": "service-b-col"}

Automated Cross-Repo Search (PRIMARY for Multi-Repo)

cross_repo_search is the PRIMARY tool for multi-repo scenarios. Use it BEFORE manual qdrant_list + repo_search chains.

Discovery Modes:

Mode	Behavior	When to Use
"auto" (default)	Discovers only if results empty or no targeting	Normal usage
"always"	Always runs discovery before search	First search in session, exploring new codebase
"never"	Skips discovery, uses explicit collection	When you know exact collection, speed-critical

// Search across all repos at once (auto-discovers collections)
// cross_repo_search
{"query": "authentication flow", "discover": "auto"}

// Target specific repos by name
// cross_repo_search
{"query": "login handler", "target_repos": ["frontend", "backend"]}

// Boundary tracing — auto-extracts routes/events/types from results
// cross_repo_search
{"query": "login submit", "trace_boundary": true}
// → Returns boundary_keys: ["/api/auth/login"] + trace_hint for next search

// Follow boundary key to another repo
// cross_repo_search
{"boundary_key": "/api/auth/login", "collection": "backend-col"}

Use cross_repo_search when you need breadth across repos. Use search (or repo_search) with explicit collection when you need depth in one repo.

Multi-Repo Anti-Patterns

• DON'T search both repos with the same vague query (noisy, confusing)
• DON'T assume the default collection is correct — verify with qdrant_list
• DON'T forget to "cd back" after cross-referencing another repo
• DO extract exact strings (route paths, event names, type names) as search anchors

Query Expansion

expand_query - Generate query variations for better recall:

{"query": "auth flow", "max_new": 2}

Output Formats

• json (default) - Structured output
• toon - Token-efficient compressed format

Set via output_format parameter.

Tool Aliases and Compatibility

Tool Aliases

These tools have alternate names that work identically:

Primary Name	Alias(es)	When to Use	Note
repo_search	code_search	Either name works identically	Both names are equivalent, use whichever is familiar
memory_store	(none)	Standard name	Part of memory server, no aliases
memory_find	(none)	Standard name	Part of memory server, no aliases
search	(none)	Standard name	Auto-routing search, no aliases
symbol_graph	(none)	Standard name	Direct symbol queries, no aliases

Compatibility Wrappers

These wrappers provide backward compatibility for legacy clients by accepting alternate parameter names:

Wrapper	Primary Tool	Alternate Parameter Names	When to Use
repo_search_compat	repo_search	Accepts q, text (instead of query), top_k (instead of limit)	Legacy clients that don't support standard parameter names
context_answer_compat	context_answer	Accepts q, text (instead of query)	Legacy clients using old parameter names

Preference: Use primary tools and standard parameter names whenever possible. Compat wrappers exist only for legacy client support and may have slower adoption of new features.

Cross-Server Tools

These tools are provided by separate MCP servers:

Tool	Server	Purpose
memory_store	Memory server	Persist team knowledge for later retrieval
memory_find	Memory server	Search stored memories by similarity
All search/symbol tools	Context server	Primary code search and analysis

All tools are transparently integrated into the unified search interface.

Best Practices

1. Use search as your default tool - It auto-routes to the best specialized tool. Only use specific tools when you need precise control or features search doesn't handle (cross-repo, memory, admin).
2. Prefer MCP over Read/grep for exploration - Use MCP tools (search, repo_search, symbol_graph, context_answer) for discovery and cross-file understanding. Narrow file/grep use is still fine for exact literal confirmation, exact path/line confirmation, or opening a file you already identified for editing.
3. Use symbol_graph first for symbol relationships - It handles callers, callees, definitions, importers, subclasses, and base classes. Use graph_query only when available and you need deeper impact/dependency traversal.
4. Start broad, then filter - Begin with search or a semantic query, add filters if too many results
5. Use multi-query - Pass 2-3 query variations for better recall on complex searches
6. Include snippets - Set include_snippet: true to see code context in results
7. Store decisions - Use memory_store to save architectural decisions and context for later
8. Check index health - Run qdrant_status if searches return unexpected results
9. Use pattern_search for structural matching - When looking for code with similar control flow (retry loops, error handling), use pattern_search instead of repo_search (if enabled)
10. Describe patterns in natural language - pattern_search understands "retry with backoff" just as well as actual code examples (if enabled)
11. Fire independent searches in parallel - Call multiple search, repo_search, symbol_graph, etc. in the same message block for 2-3x speedup. Alternatively, use batch_search to run N repo_search calls in a single invocation with ~75% token savings
12. Use TOON format for discovery - Set output_format: "toon" for 60-80% token reduction on exploratory queries
13. Bootstrap sessions with defaults - Call set_session_defaults(output_format="toon", compact=true) early to avoid repeating params
14. Two-phase search - Discovery first (limit=3, compact=true), then deep dive (limit=5-8, include_snippet=true) on targets
15. Use fallback chains - If context_answer times out, fall back to search or repo_search + info_request(include_explanation=true)

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Return Shapes Reference

Every tool returns a consistent envelope. Understanding the response structure helps you parse results correctly and detect errors.

Universal Response Envelope

All tools return minimum:

{
  "ok": boolean,
  "error": "string (only if ok=false)"
}

• ok: true = success (may have zero results but no error)
• ok: false = error (details in error field)

Search Family Return Shape

Applies to: search, repo_search, batch_search, info_request, context_search

{
  "ok": true,
  "results": [
    {
      "score": 0.85,                  // Relevance score (0-1+, higher=better)
      "path": "src/auth.py",          // File path
      "symbol": "authenticate",        // Symbol name (optional)
      "start_line": 42,               // Start line number
      "end_line": 67,                 // End line number
      "snippet": "def authenticate...",// Code snippet (if include_snippet=true)
      "language": "python"            // Programming language
    }
  ],
  "total": 5,                         // Total results found
  "used_rerank": true,                // Whether reranking was applied
  "execution_time_ms": 245            // Query execution time
}

Symbol Graph Return Shape

Applies to: symbol_graph, batch_symbol_graph, graph_query, batch_graph_query

{
  "ok": true,
  "results": [
    {
      "path": "src/api/handlers.py",  // File path
      "start_line": 142,              // Start line
      "end_line": 145,                // End line
      "symbol": "handle_login",       // Symbol at this location
      "symbol_path": "handlers.handle_login", // Qualified symbol
      "language": "python",           // Programming language
      "snippet": "result = authenticate(username, password)", // Code snippet
      "hop": 1                        // For depth>1: which hop found this
    }
  ],
  "symbol": "authenticate",           // Symbol queried
  "query_type": "callers",            // Type of query
  "count": 12,                        // Total results
  "depth": 1,                         // Traversal depth used
  "used_graph": true,                 // Whether graph backend was used
  "suggestions": [...]                // Fuzzy matches if exact symbol not found
}

Unified Search Return Shape

Applies to: search (auto-routing wrapper)

{
  "ok": true,
  "intent": "search",                 // Detected intent (search, qa, tests, config, symbols, etc.)
  "confidence": 0.92,                 // Intent detection confidence (0-1)
  "tool": "repo_search",              // Tool used for routing
  "result": {                         // Result from dispatched tool
    "results": [...],
    "total": 8,
    "used_rerank": true,
    "execution_time_ms": 245
  },
  "plan": ["detect_intent", "dispatch_repo_search"], // Steps taken
  "execution_time_ms": 245            // Total time
}

Context Answer Return Shape

Applies to: context_answer

{
  "ok": true,
  "answer": "The authentication system validates tokens by first checking the JWT signature using the secret from config [1], then verifying expiration time [2]...", // LLM-generated answer with citations [1], [2]...
  "citations": [
    {
      "id": 1,                        // Citation number
      "path": "src/auth/jwt.py",      // File path
      "start_line": 45,               // Start line
      "end_line": 52,                 // End line
      "snippet": "def verify_token(token):..." // Optional code snippet
    }
    // ... more citations
  ],
  "query": ["How does authentication validate tokens"], // Original query
  "used": {
    "spans": 5,                       // Code spans retrieved
    "tokens": 1842                    // Tokens used for answer
  }
}

Memory Tools Return Shape

Applies to: memory_store, memory_find

{
  "ok": true,
  "id": "abc123...",                  // Unique ID (memory_store only)
  "message": "Successfully stored information", // Status message
  "collection": "codebase",           // Collection name
  "vector": "bge-base-en-v1-5"        // Embedding model used
}

memory_find results:

{
  "ok": true,
  "results": [
    {
      "id": "abc123...",              // Memory ID
      "information": "JWT tokens expire after 24h...", // Stored knowledge
      "metadata": {                   // Structured metadata
        "kind": "decision",
        "topic": "auth",
        "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
        "tags": ["security", "architecture"]
      },
      "score": 0.85,                  // Similarity score
      "highlights": [...]             // Query term matches in context
    }
  ],
  "total": 3,
  "count": 3,
  "query": "authentication decisions"
}

Error Response Shape

All tools on error:

{
  "ok": false,
  "error": "Collection not found",    // Error message
  "error_code": "COLLECTION_NOT_FOUND" // Optional error code
}

Or HTTP-level errors (504, 400, etc.) with structured response.

Batch Tool Return Shape

Applies to: batch_search, batch_symbol_graph, batch_graph_query

{
  "ok": true,
  "batch_results": [
    { /* result from search/query 0 */ },
    { /* result from search/query 1 */ },
    { /* result from search/query 2 */ }
  ],
  "count": 3,                         // Number of results
  "elapsed_ms": 123.4                 // Total execution time
}

Each item in batch_results has the same schema as the individual tool (repo_search, symbol_graph, etc.).

Admin Tools Return Shape

Applies to: qdrant_status, qdrant_list, set_session_defaults

{
  "ok": true,
  "collections": [
    {
      "name": "frontend-abc123",
      "count": 1234,                  // Point count
      "last_ingested_at": {
        "unix": 1704067800,
        "iso": "2024-01-01T10:30:00Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}

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