git:20260904.f9b5267 to git:20260904.5a122b3

13 added, 34 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: finding-files

- description: File-location search strategy for the file-finder agent — glob by naming convention, content search, import tracing, directory exploration, and manifest checks, scoped to the vocabulary in 2-questions.md. Loaded when files relevant to an area under investigation need to be found.

+ description: 'Locates files by naming, structure, and imports. Load for read-only discovery when exact paths are unknown.'

user-invocable: false

---

# Finding Files

- The file-finder's search strategy: given the codebase scope and vocabulary

- in `2-questions.md`, find every file that is relevant to the area under

- investigation.

+ Given `2-questions.md` codebase scope and vocabulary, find every relevant file. In multi-repo mode from `4-repos.md`, repeat each strategy in every listed repo and namespace results by slug.

## Search Strategy

- Work through these strategies in order. Cast a wide net first, then narrow.

- In multi-repo mode (when `4-repos.md` is present), repeat each strategy

- inside every listed repo and report findings namespaced by the repo's

- slug name.

- 1. **Glob by naming convention** — Search for files whose names match the

- vocabulary terms in `2-questions.md` (e.g., `**/*auth*`, `**/*billing*`).

- Try singular and plural forms. In multi-repo mode, run each glob

- inside each repo's absolute path.

- 2. **Content search** — Grep for vocabulary terms, function names, class

- names, error messages. Try synonyms and related concepts.

- 3. **Import/dependency tracing** — When you find a relevant file, read its

- imports and follow the dependency chain. Also search for files that import

- the relevant file (reverse dependencies). Cross-repo imports are

- common in multi-repo topics — flag them in `## Notes`.

- 4. **Directory exploration** — Read directory listings around discovered files

- to find siblings (test files, config files, related modules).

+ Use these in order, broad to narrow:

- 5. **Config and manifest files** — Check package manifests, build configs, and

- entry points that may reference relevant modules.

+ 1. **Glob by naming convention.** Search vocabulary terms such as `**/*auth*` and `**/*billing*`; try singular/plural. Run against each repo's absolute path.

+ 2. **Content search.** Grep vocabulary, functions, classes, errors, synonyms, and related concepts.

+ 3. **Import/dependency tracing.** Follow imports and reverse dependencies from every relevant file. Record cross-repo imports in `## Notes`.

+ 4. **Directory exploration.** Inspect siblings for tests, configuration, and related modules.

+ 5. **Config and manifests.** Inspect package manifests, build configuration, and entry points referencing the area.

## Search rules

- - Search broadly. It is better to include a file that turns out to be

- irrelevant than to miss one that matters.

- - Try at least three different search terms per concept before concluding

- a search direction is exhausted.

- - Never guess file paths — only report files you have confirmed exist.

- - Keep descriptions to one line per file. Be factual, not speculative.

- - If the codebase is large, prioritize files closest to the scope named in

- `2-questions.md` and note areas you did not search.

+ - Prefer a confirmed extra file over a missed relevant file.

+ - Try at least three search terms per concept before stopping that direction.

+ - Never guess paths; report only confirmed files.

+ - Use one factual, non-speculative line per file.

+ - In large codebases, prioritize the `2-questions.md` scope and report unsearched areas.