Semantic Code Search

Find Code by Meaning Not Just Keywords

Search for "authentication handler" and find code about login, OAuth, JWT, and sessions—even if those exact words aren't in your query. ContextStream understands intent.

Traditional Search

grep finds text, not answers

$ grep -r "auth" ./src

Returns 847 results: author, authorize, authentication, authToken, oauth... Most are irrelevant.

$ grep -r "login handler" ./src

Returns 0 results. The code exists, but it's called "handleUserSignIn".

Semantic Search

Find what you actually mean

search(mode="semantic", query="authentication handler")

Returns handleUserSignIn, validateOAuthCallback, createJWTSession—exactly what you need.

search(mode="hybrid", query="error handling")

Combines semantic understanding with keyword matching. Best of both worlds.

Four Search Modes for Every Use Case

Choose the right search mode for your task. All modes work across your entire indexed codebase.

Semantic Search

Vector-based search that understands meaning and intent. Find code by what it does, not what it's named.

search(mode="semantic", query="rate limiting")

Hybrid Search

Combines semantic understanding with keyword precision. Best for when you know some terms but not the exact names.

search(mode="hybrid", query="user auth middleware")

Keyword Search

Exact text matching for when you know the specific symbol, variable, or string you're looking for.

search(mode="keyword", query="API_SECRET_KEY")

Pattern Search

Regex-based search for specific code patterns, function signatures, or structural matches.

search(mode="pattern", query="async function.*Handler")

Search Features

Scoped Search

Filter by workspace, project, or file patterns to narrow results.

Relevance Ranking

Results ranked by semantic similarity, recency, and importance.

Search Suggestions

Get intelligent suggestions based on partial queries.

Multi-Language

Works with JS/TS, Python, Rust, Go, Java, and more.

Output Formats

Get full content, paths only, or counts—optimize for your use case.

Memory Search

Search across code and memory events in one query.

Frequently Asked Questions

Search Smarter, Not Harder

Find any code by describing what it does. Setup takes 2 minutes.