How much faster is ast-index than standard search tools?

ast-index is typically 17-69x faster than grep or ripgrep, returning results in 1-10ms for indexed symbols compared to several seconds in large projects.

Do I need to install anything locally to use this skill?

Yes, you must install the ast-index CLI via Homebrew and run 'ast-index rebuild' in your project root to initialize the search index.

Which programming languages does this skill support?

It supports a wide range of languages including Kotlin, Java, Swift, Objective-C, TypeScript, JavaScript, Rust, Ruby, C#, Perl, Python, Go, C++, and Protocol Buffers.

When should I use grep instead of ast-index?

Use grep only when ast-index returns no results, or when you specifically need to search using regex, look inside string literals, or search within code comments.

How do I keep the search index updated?

You can run 'ast-index update' for incremental updates as you code, or 'ast-index rebuild' after significant changes to the project structure.

AST Index Advanced Code Search

Name: AST Index Advanced Code Search
Author: defendend

bydefendend

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Developer Tools

Perform lightning-fast structural code searches across multiple languages and platforms using an indexed AST approach.

This skill integrates the ast-index CLI tool into Claude, enabling high-performance code navigation and analysis that is significantly faster than standard grep-based tools. It allows developers to instantly find class definitions, symbol usages, implementations, and call hierarchies across a wide range of platforms including Android, iOS, Web, and backend environments. By leveraging a local SQLite FTS5 index, it provides structured and accurate results for complex refactoring and codebase exploration tasks with millisecond latency, making it the primary search tool for any supported project.

Key Features

01Comprehensive symbol, usage, and implementation tracking

02Detailed call tree and class hierarchy visualization

03Ultra-fast structural search (17-69x faster than grep)

04Git integration to find symbols changed since a specific branch

05Support for 10+ languages including Kotlin, Swift, TS, Rust, and Go

068 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Performing safe refactoring by identifying all symbol usages and interface implementations

02Analyzing module dependencies and public APIs to understand project architecture

03Exploring large, unfamiliar codebases to find definitions and call sites instantly

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add defendend/claude-ast-index-search ast-index

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill