ast-grep-find

AST-based code search locates function definitions using abstract syntax trees to ensure syntax-aware pattern matching and safe refactoring without brittle text matches. It applies structural rules to preserve code behavior across multiple files.

AST-based pattern matching is a static analysis technique that parses code into abstract syntax trees to locate syntax-aware structures like imports and class declarations. It identifies exact structural definitions rather than relying on fragile regular expressions.

Yes, AST-based code search supports locating imports and class declarations across multiple languages like Python and JavaScript. It applies syntax-aware rules to parse and match structural patterns specific to each programming language within your codebase.

You can execute a dry-run by applying a pattern syntax argument with the search script to preview structural matches before modifying files. This safe refactoring approach verifies AST pattern matching results across the codebase without committing changes.

AST-based code search outperforms regex for refactoring by using abstract syntax trees to understand code structure, avoiding false positives from string literals or comments. This syntax-aware approach ensures safe replacements of function definitions and variables.

AST pattern matching requires specifying the target language like Python or JavaScript to parse syntax trees correctly. It may not locate patterns in unsupported file formats or dynamically generated code outside the static analysis scope of the codebase.