git:20260211.4a887a3 to git:20260430.57dc2e3

---

name: ace-tool

description: |

Semantic codebase search, code indexing, and prompt enhancement via standalone CLI. Use when: (1) Semantic code search with natural language queries, (2) Code indexing for remote codebase retrieval, (3) Prompt enhancement with codebase context, (4) Before grep/find/glob operations for better accuracy, (5) Complex requirements clarification, (6) Large codebase navigation. Triggers: "search context", "enhance prompt", "find code that", "index project", "clarify requirements". IMPORTANT: Always use ace-tool BEFORE grep/find/glob for semantic-level code location.

---

# ACE-Tool - Semantic Code Search & Prompt Enhancement

High-performance semantic search, code indexing, and AI-powered prompt enhancement. Standalone CLI (no MCP dependency).

## Execution Methods

```bash

# Prerequisites: pip install httpx tenacity

# Environment: ACE_API_URL, ACE_API_TOKEN (optional for local fallback)

# Index project for remote search (upload code blobs to ACE service)

python scripts/ace_cli.py index -p /path/to/project

# Search codebase with natural language (remote if API configured, else local fallback)

python scripts/ace_cli.py search_context -p /path/to/project -q "function that handles authentication"

# Enhance prompt (interactive mode - default, opens browser)

python scripts/ace_cli.py enhance_prompt -p "implement login feature" -H "User: what auth method?\nAssistant: JWT"

# Enhance prompt (non-interactive, JSON output)

python scripts/ace_cli.py enhance_prompt --no-interactive -p "implement login feature"

# Enhance prompt with project context (enables cloud retrieval for all endpoints)

python scripts/ace_cli.py enhance_prompt -p "implement login feature" --project-root /path/to/project

# Enhance prompt with specific endpoint

python scripts/ace_cli.py --endpoint claude enhance_prompt -p "implement login feature"

# Check configuration

python scripts/ace_cli.py get_config

```

## Tool Routing Policy

### Prefer ACE-Tool Over Built-in Tools

| Task | Avoid | Use ACE-Tool CLI |

|------|-------|------------------|

| Find function by purpose | `grep "def func"` | `search_context -q "function that..."` |

| Locate feature code | `find . -name "*.py"` | `search_context -q "feature description"` |

| Clarify requirements | Manual analysis | `enhance_prompt -p "requirement"` |

| Understand code flow | Multiple grep/read | `search_context -q "flow description"` |

| Index codebase | N/A | `index -p <project_root>` |

### When to Use Built-in Tools

- Exact string matching (known identifiers)

- File path patterns (known naming conventions)

- Simple text replacement

## Command Reference

### index

```bash

python scripts/ace_cli.py index -p <project_root>

Options:

-p, --project-root Project root path (required)

```

### search_context

Search codebase using natural language descriptions. Routes to remote API (`POST /agents/codebase-retrieval`) when configured, with automatic local keyword fallback.

```bash

python scripts/ace_cli.py search_context -p <project_root> -q <query>

Options:

-p, --project-root Project root path (required)

-q, --query Natural language query (required)

```

### enhance_prompt

```bash

python scripts/ace_cli.py [--endpoint TYPE] enhance_prompt -p <prompt> [options]

Global Options:

--api-url Override API base URL

--token Override API token

Command Options:

-p, --prompt Original prompt (required)

-H, --history Conversation history: "User: xxx\nAssistant: yyy"

--history-file File containing conversation history

--project-root Project root path (enables cloud retrieval context)

--no-interactive Disable web UI, output JSON directly

--no-browser Don't auto-open browser, just print URL

--port Port for web server (default: 8765)

```

### get_config

```bash

python scripts/ace_cli.py get_config

```

## Interactive Enhancement

Default mode opens web UI with actions:

| Button | Action |

|--------|--------|

| **Regenerate** | Discard current, generate new enhancement from original prompt |

| **Refine** | Iteratively improve current version, preserving your edits |

| **Use Original** | Return the original prompt without enhancement |

| **Send Enhanced** | Confirm and use the current enhanced prompt |

| **Cancel** | Abort the enhancement process |

**Keyboard Shortcuts:** `Ctrl+Enter` Send | `Esc` Cancel

## Workflow

### Phase 0: Index Project (once or after major changes)

```bash

index -p . # Upload code blobs to ACE

```

### Phase 1: Semantic Search

```bash

search_context -p . -q "database connection pooling" # Remote retrieval or local fallback

```

### Phase 2: Prompt Enhancement

```bash

enhance_prompt -p "optimize query performance" --project-root . # With cloud context

# Review and refine enhanced prompt

# Use Regenerate/Refine as needed

# Send Enhanced to confirm

```

## Error Handling

```json

{"error": "error message", "status_code": 401}

```

| Error | Recovery |

|-------|----------|

| No API configured | Uses local fallback for search_context; returns original for enhance |

| Token invalid (401) | Check API token (logged at ERROR level) |

| Access denied (403) | Token may be disabled (logged at ERROR level) |

| Upload failure | Index rollback to previous state; cached blobs still returned |

| Connection timeout | Retries up to 3 times with exponential backoff |

| No results | Broaden search query |

## Anti-Patterns

| Prohibited | Correct |

|------------|---------|

| Grep before semantic search | Use `search_context` first |

| Skip prompt enhancement | Use `enhance_prompt` for complex tasks |

| Ignore conversation history | Include history in `enhance_prompt` |

| Use exact match for conceptual search | Use natural language query |

| Always use non-interactive mode | Use interactive mode for review |

| Skip `--project-root` for enhance | Include it for cloud-based code context |