smart-grep

To find code usage and callers across a repository, you need an intelligent search strategy that selects between text search, AST-based search, and semantic analysis. This approach accurately locates references, definitions, and imports while avoiding noisy results.

Preparing for a safe symbol rename requires tracing every usage of the target function and identifying its callers first. By applying AST search or semantic analysis, you can generate a comprehensive rename preview before making any actual changes.

You need AST search instead of standard grep for code navigation when looking for structural patterns like definitions, subclasses, or callers. AST search understands code syntax, avoiding noisy text matches and providing accurate symbol discovery across programming languages.

To trace imports and definitions across different programming languages, use a tool that applies semantic analysis and intelligent search strategies. This ensures accurate code navigation and symbol discovery regardless of the specific language syntax in the repository.

Text search returns noisy results during refactoring because it matches strings instead of code structure. Switching to AST-based search or semantic analysis filters out irrelevant text matches, providing precise code references and safe rename targets.