hive.terminal-tools-fs-search · diff

v1.0 to v1.0

22 added, 21 removed. Audit A to A.

---
name: hive.terminal-tools-fs-search
- description: Use terminal_rg / terminal_find when you need raw filesystem search outside the project tree — system configs, /var/log, /etc, archive contents — or when files-tools.search_files is too project-scoped. Teaches the rg vs find vs terminal_exec("ls/du/tree") split, common rg flag combos for code/logs/configs, find predicates for mtime/size/type queries, and the rule that for tree views or single-file stat info you should just use terminal_exec instead of inventing a tool. Read before reaching for raw shell to grep or find anything.
+ description: Use terminal_rg / terminal_glob for all filesystem search — your project tree as well as system configs, /var/log, /etc, archive contents. Teaches the rg vs glob vs terminal_exec("find/ls/du/tree") split, common rg flag combos for code/logs/configs, glob patterns for finding files by name, the rule that mtime/size/type predicate queries drop to terminal_exec("find ..."), and that for tree views or single-file stat info you should just use terminal_exec instead of inventing a tool. Read before reaching for raw shell to grep or find anything.
metadata:
author: hive
type: preset-skill
version: "1.0"
---
# Filesystem search
- terminal-tools provides two structured search tools: `terminal_rg` (ripgrep for content) and `terminal_find` (find for predicates). Everything else (tree, stat, du) is just `terminal_exec`.
+ terminal-tools provides two structured search tools: `terminal_rg` (ripgrep for content) and `terminal_glob` (find files by name/glob). Predicate queries (mtime/size/type) and everything else (tree, stat, du) are just `terminal_exec`.
## When to use what
| Task | Tool |
|---|---|
- | Find code/text matching a pattern in your **project** | `files-tools.search_files` (project-aware, ranks by relevance) |
- | Find code/text matching a pattern in `/var/log`, `/etc`, archives, system dirs | `terminal_rg` |
- | Find files matching name/glob/predicate | `terminal_find` |
+ | Find code/text matching a pattern (project tree or any path) | `terminal_rg` (gitignore-aware; defaults to your session workdir) |
+ | Find files by name/glob (any path) | `terminal_glob` |
+ | Find files by mtime/size/type predicate | `terminal_exec("find ...")` (see references/find_predicates.md) |
| List a directory | `terminal_exec("ls -la /path")` |
| Tree view | `terminal_exec("tree -L 2 /path")` |
| Single-path stat | `terminal_exec("stat /path")` |
| Disk usage | `terminal_exec("du -sh /path")` or `terminal_exec("du -h --max-depth=2 /")` |
| Count matches across files | `terminal_rg(pattern, count=True via extra_args=["-c"])` |
## `terminal_rg` — content search
ripgrep is fast, gitignore-aware, and has a deep flag surface. The structured wrapper exposes the most useful flags directly; `extra_args` covers the rest.
### Common patterns
```
# All Python files containing "TODO"
terminal_rg(pattern="TODO", path=".", type_filter="py")
# Case-insensitive, with context
terminal_rg(pattern="error", path="/var/log", ignore_case=True, context=2)
# Search hidden files (rg ignores them by default)
terminal_rg(pattern="api_key", path="~", hidden=True)
# Don't respect .gitignore (find files git would ignore)
terminal_rg(pattern="generated", path=".", no_ignore=True)
# Multi-line pattern (e.g., function definitions spanning lines)
terminal_rg(pattern=r"def\s+\w+\(.*\n.*\n", path="src", extra_args=["--multiline"])
# Specific filename glob
terminal_rg(pattern="version", path=".", glob="*.toml")
```
### rg flag idioms
| Flag | Effect |
|---|---|
| `-tpy` (`type_filter="py"`) | Only Python files |
| `-uu` | Don't respect any ignores (incl. `.git/`) |
| `--multiline` (`extra_args`) | Allow regex spanning lines |
| `--max-count` (`max_count`) | Stop after N matches per file |
| `--max-depth` (`max_depth`) | Limit recursion |
| `-w` (`extra_args`) | Whole word match |
| `-F` (`extra_args`) | Fixed string (no regex) |
See `references/ripgrep_cheatsheet.md` for the long form.
- ## `terminal_find` — predicate search
+ ## `terminal_glob` — find files by name
- `find` excels at "files matching N criteria". The wrapper surfaces the most common predicates; combine via the structured arguments.
+ Lists files matching a glob, gitignore-aware (backed by `rg --files`). The pattern is widened for you so a bare stem Just Works — the actual glob run is returned as `expanded_pattern`:
- ```
- # All .log files modified in the last 7 days, larger than 1MB
- terminal_find(path="/var/log", iname="*.log", mtime_days=7, size_kb_min=1024)
+ - `lk_scan_post_reactors` → matched as `**/*lk_scan_post_reactors*` (recursive substring)
+ - `*.py` → matched as `**/*.py` (recursive by default)
+ - `src/**/*.py` → used verbatim
- # All directories named ".git" (find Git repos under a tree)
- terminal_find(path="~/projects", name=".git", type_filter="d")
+ ```
+ # Find a file by stem anywhere under a tree
+ terminal_glob(pattern="lk_scan_post_reactors", path="core/framework/skills")
- # Only the top three levels
- terminal_find(path="/etc", max_depth=3, type_filter="f")
+ # All YAML configs under /etc
+ terminal_glob(pattern="*.yaml", path="/etc")
- # Symlinks
- terminal_find(path=".", type_filter="l")
+ # Include .gitignored / hidden / build-cache files
+ terminal_glob(pattern="*.log", path=".", include_ignored=True)
```
- See `references/find_predicates.md` for combinations not directly exposed.
+ For **predicate** queries (modified in last N days, larger than N MB, only dirs/symlinks), `terminal_glob` is the wrong tool — drop to `terminal_exec("find ...")`. See `references/find_predicates.md`.
## Output truncation
- Both tools return `truncated: true` when their output exceeded the inline cap. For `terminal_rg`, this means matches were dropped (refine the pattern or narrow the path); for `terminal_find`, results past `max_results` (default 1000) are dropped. Tighten predicates rather than raising the cap.
+ Both tools return `truncated: true` when output exceeded the inline cap. For `terminal_rg`, matches were dropped (refine the pattern or narrow the path); for `terminal_glob`, results past `max_results` (default 1000) were dropped — the search stops early at the cap, so narrow the pattern rather than raising it. `terminal_glob` also returns `timed_out: true` (with the partial results it gathered) when the walk exceeded its deadline.
## Anti-patterns
- - **Don't `terminal_rg` your project tree** — `files-tools.search_files` is project-aware and ranks results.
- - **Don't reach for `terminal_find` to list one directory** — `terminal_exec("ls -la /path")` is shorter.
+ - **`terminal_rg` is the project search tool** — gitignore-aware and returns structured matches; use it for in-project search as well as raw paths.
+ - **Don't reach for `terminal_glob` to list one directory** — `terminal_exec("ls -la /path")` is shorter.
- **Don't use `terminal_exec("grep ...")`** when `terminal_rg` exists — rg is faster, gitignore-aware, and returns structured matches.
- - **Don't use `terminal_exec("find ...")`** to invent your own predicate combinations — use `terminal_find` and report missing capabilities.
+ - **Don't hand-roll `terminal_exec("find ... -name ...")`** for a plain name search — use `terminal_glob`. Reserve `terminal_exec("find ...")` for mtime/size/type predicates.