GitHub CLI: Search Code

Overview

Search for code across GitHub repositories using gh search code. Important: CLI API uses legacy search engine. For regex and advanced features, use -w flag to open in web browser.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when searching code across GitHub:

• Searching for code patterns across multiple repositories
• Finding specific file types or filenames in repos/orgs
• Locating code by language or file size across GitHub
• Searching in specific repositories or organizations
• Need to exclude certain results (requires -- flag)
• Need regex search (use -w to open in browser)

Syntax

gh search code <query> [flags]

Key Flags Reference

Flag	Purpose	Example
--extension <string>	Filter by file extension	--extension js
--filename <string>	Target specific filenames	--filename package.json
--language <string>	Filter by programming language	--language python
--owner <strings>	Limit to specific owners	--owner microsoft
-R, --repo <strings>	Search within repository	--repo cli/cli
--size <string>	Filter by file size (KB)	--size ">100"
--match <strings>	Search in file or path	--match file or --match path
-L, --limit <int>	Max results (default: 30)	--limit 100
-w, --web	Open in browser	-w
--json <fields>	JSON output	--json path,repository

JSON Output Fields

Available fields: path, repository, sha, textMatches, url

Exclusion Syntax (Critical!)

When using inline query exclusions (negations with -), you MUST use the -- separator:

✅ Correct: gh search code -- "search-terms -qualifier:value" ❌ Wrong: gh search code "search-terms" --flag=-value ❌ Wrong: gh search code "search-terms" --flag=!value ❌ Wrong: gh search code "search-terms" --filename="!test"

Examples:

• gh search code -- "function -filename:test" (exclude files named "test")
• gh search code -- "import -language:javascript" (exclude language)
• gh search code -- "config -path:vendor" (exclude vendor directories)
• gh search code -- "TODO -extension:md" (exclude extension)

Why the -- separator is required: The -- tells the shell to stop parsing flags and treat everything after it as arguments. Without it, -qualifier:value inside quotes may be misinterpreted.

Understanding -filename: vs -path: Qualifiers

Critical Distinction: These qualifiers have different matching behaviors:

Qualifier	Matches	Use When
-filename:	Filename only (e.g., test.js, utils_test.py)	Excluding files by their name pattern
-path:	Full file path (e.g., src/test/file.js, lib/testing/util.js)	Excluding directory paths or path segments

When to Use Each

Use -filename: when:

• User says "exclude test files" → means files named with "test"
• Targeting files by their name pattern
• Examples: test.js, config_test.py, utils.test.ts

Use -path: when:

• User says "exclude test directories" → means directories containing "test"
• Targeting files in specific directory paths
• Examples: tests/, __test__/, src/test/, lib/testing/

Matching Examples

-filename:test matches:

• test.js ✅
• utils_test.py ✅
• test_helper.rb ✅
• src/file.js ❌ (doesn't contain "test" in filename)
• tests/utils.js ❌ (filename is "utils.js", not "test")

-path:test matches:

• tests/utils.js ✅ (path contains "test")
• src/test/file.js ✅ (path contains "test")
• lib/testing/helper.py ✅ (path contains "test")
• test.js ✅ (path includes filename)
• src/utils.js ❌ (path doesn't contain "test")

Practical Examples

Exclude files by name:

# User: "Find functions but NOT in test files"
gh search code -- "function -filename:test"
# Excludes: test.js, utils_test.py, config.test.ts
# Includes: tests/utils.js (filename is "utils.js", not "test")

Exclude directories:

# User: "Find config but NOT in test directories"
gh search code -- "config -path:test"
# Excludes: tests/config.js, src/test/config.py, __test__/setup.js
# Includes: config_test.js (not in test directory)

Combine both qualifiers:

# User: "Exclude both test files AND test directories"
gh search code -- "function -filename:test -path:test"
# Excludes: test.js, tests/utils.js, src/test/file.js, utils_test.py

Critical Syntax Rules

When to Use Flag Syntax vs Query Syntax

Decision Tree:

Does your search include:
  - Any exclusions (NOT, minus, without, except)?  → Use Query Syntax with `--`
  - Complex boolean logic (OR, AND)?              → Use Query Syntax with `--`

Otherwise:
  - Simple positive filters only?                  → Use Flag Syntax

Flag Syntax (for positive filters):

gh search code "import" --language python --extension py

Query Syntax with -- (required for exclusions):

gh search code -- "function -filename:test.js -language:javascript"

⚠️ NEVER mix both syntaxes in a single command!

1. Exclusions and Negations

CRITICAL: When excluding results, you MUST use query syntax with the -- separator.

Exclusion Syntax Rules:

1. Use the -- separator before your query
2. Use -qualifier:value format (dash prefix for negation)
3. Quote the entire query string

Examples:

Single exclusion:

# Exclude files named "test.js"
gh search code -- "function -filename:test.js"

# Exclude specific language
gh search code -- "import -language:javascript"

# Exclude vendor directories
gh search code -- "config -path:vendor"

Multiple exclusions:

# Exclude multiple filenames
gh search code -- "function -filename:test.js -filename:spec.js"

# Exclude language and test directories
gh search code -- "TODO -language:go -path:test"

# Exclude multiple languages
gh search code -- "class -language:java -language:kotlin"

Combine with positive filters using flags:

# Wrong - mixing syntaxes:
gh search code "function" --language python -filename:test  # ❌

# Correct - use query syntax for everything when excluding:
gh search code -- "function language:python -filename:test"  # ✅

PowerShell exclusions:

# Use --% to prevent PowerShell parsing
gh --% search code -- "function -filename:test.js"

Common Exclusion Patterns:

User Request	Command	Qualifier Used
"Find code but not in test files"	gh search code -- "function -filename:test"	-filename: (matches file names)
"Code excluding test directories"	gh search code -- "function -path:test"	-path: (matches directory paths)
"Code excluding specific language"	gh search code -- "import -language:javascript"	-language:
"Code not in vendor/node_modules dirs"	gh search code -- "config -path:vendor -path:node_modules"	-path: (matches directories)
"Functions excluding test and spec files"	gh search code -- "function -filename:test -filename:spec"	-filename: (matches file names)
"Code excluding large files"	gh search code -- "class -size:>500"	-size:
"Code not in specific extension"	gh search code -- "TODO -extension:md -extension:txt"	-extension:
"Code excluding example/doc directories"	gh search code -- "api -path:examples -path:docs"	-path: (matches directories)

2. Quoting Rules

Multi-word search:

gh search code "error handling"

Complex queries with qualifiers:

gh search code "TODO in:file" --language javascript

3. Size Comparisons

Use quotes for comparison operators:

gh search code "import" --size ">50" --language python

Common Use Cases

Search for function patterns:

gh search code "async function" --language typescript

Find configuration files:

gh search code "database" --filename config.json --owner myorg

Search in specific repo:

gh search code "TODO" --repo owner/repo --language go

Exclude files named with "test":

gh search code -- "function -filename:test"

Exclude test directories:

gh search code -- "function -path:test"

Search by file size:

gh search code "import" --size "100..500" --language python

Use regex (via web):

# Open in browser for regex support
gh search code "function.*test" --language javascript -w
# Web UI allows: /function.*test/ or /class\s+\w+/

Build complex query, refine in web:

# Start with CLI filters, finish with regex in browser
gh search code --owner microsoft --language typescript -w

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Problem	Fix
--extension="NOT js" or --language=-python	Flag syntax doesn't support negation	Use query: -- "-extension:js" or -- "-language:python"
gh search code import -language:js	-language interpreted as flag	Use --: gh search code -- "import -language:js"
"function NOT language:js"	NOT keyword doesn't work	Use -: -- "function -language:js"
Mixing syntaxes: --language python "code -filename:test"	Can't mix flags with query qualifiers	Use query for all: -- "code language:python -filename:test"
Not quoting multi-word queries	Searches separately	Quote: "error handling"
Forgetting quotes on comparisons	Shell interprets >	Quote: --size ">100"
Using -filename inline without --	Parsed as flag	Use --: -- "code -filename:test"
Trying regex via CLI	CLI API doesn't support regex	Use -w flag: gh search code "pattern" -w
PowerShell without --%	Breaks with exclusions	Add: gh --%

Installation Check

If gh command not found:

# Check if gh is installed
which gh

# If not installed, see: https://cli.github.com/manual/installation

If not authenticated:

# Authenticate with GitHub
gh auth login

Web Browser Flag (-w/--web)

Important workaround for advanced features:

The -w/--web flag opens your search in GitHub's web interface, which supports features not available via CLI API:

Regex Search (Web Only)

# This opens in browser where you can use regex
gh search code "function.*test" --language javascript -w

# In the web UI, you can then modify to use regex syntax:
# /function.*test/ language:javascript

When to Use -w

Use the web flag when you need:

• Regex patterns - /pattern/ syntax for complex matching
• Advanced filters - Newer GitHub search features
• Visual browsing - Easier to explore results visually
• Better results - Web uses newer search engine

Combining CLI + Web

# Build query with CLI, open in web for regex
gh search code --language python --repo myorg/myrepo -w
# Then add regex pattern in web UI

Limitations (CLI API)

• Powered by legacy GitHub search engine
• Results may differ from github.com
• Regex search not available via CLI (use -w flag instead)
• Some advanced features may not work
• Workaround: Use -w/--web to access full GitHub search features

Related

• GitHub search syntax: https://docs.github.com/search-github/searching-on-github/searching-code
• For searching other resources: gh-search-issues, gh-search-prs, gh-search-repos, gh-search-commits