{
  "title": "Workspace search",
  "description": "Search file names, text, or symbols across a workspace.",
  "slug": "workspace-search",
  "locale": "en",
  "seoTitle": "Workspace search — Can My Agent Use",
  "socialTitle": "Workspace search",
  "socialDescription": "Compare file-name, text, symbol, and semantic search across a workspace.",
  "llmSummary": "Workspace search locates files, text, or symbols across a project. Query types, indexing, scope, and semantic retrieval are qualifiers.",
  "audience": "Engineers comparing chat, desktop, and CLI agent harnesses.",
  "contentKind": "feature",
  "status": "published",
  "tags": [
    "tools"
  ],
  "updated": "2026-08-28T00:00:00.000Z",
  "published": "2026-08-28T00:00:00.000Z",
  "category": "tools",
  "summary": "Search file names, text, or symbols across a workspace.",
  "specLabel": "Common product term",
  "aliases": [],
  "capabilityKind": "atomic",
  "related": [],
  "relations": [],
  "highlight": false,
  "notes": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "text": "No reviewed public evidence is attached to this capability row. Unknown records the evidence gap."
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Claude Code documents Glob and Grep built-ins and describes searching relevant files before coordinated edits."
    },
    {
      "id": 3,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Gemini CLI documents glob and grep_search tools that search file names and contents across the workspace."
    },
    {
      "id": 4,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Cursor documents Agent tools for searching files, folders, names, directory structures, and exact content patterns."
    },
    {
      "id": 5,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: VS Code documents workspace-context search tools that locate relevant files, symbols, and text."
    },
    {
      "id": 6,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Copilot CLI documents automatic read-only codebase search plus grep and glob tools."
    },
    {
      "id": 7,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Cline documents a ripgrep-powered codebase search built-in."
    },
    {
      "id": 8,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Continue documents glob search, grep search, repository map, subdirectory, and codebase tools in Plan and Agent modes."
    },
    {
      "id": 9,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: OpenCode documents built-in grep and glob tools for codebase content and path search."
    },
    {
      "id": 10,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Zed documents that its native Agent can search code in the current project."
    },
    {
      "id": 11,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Aider analyzes the repository to build a compact map and uses that map to identify relevant code, but does not document it as an explicit queryable search tool."
    },
    {
      "id": 12,
      "text": "Evidence checked 2026-08-28: Windsurf documents Search and Analyze among Cascade's codebase tools."
    }
  ],
  "issues": [],
  "resources": [
    {
      "title": "Methodology",
      "href": "/methodology",
      "kind": "note"
    },
    {
      "id": "microsoft-vscode-workspace-context",
      "title": "Visual Studio Code — How Copilot understands your workspace",
      "href": "https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agents/reference/workspace-context",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Microsoft",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Workspace search tools"
    },
    {
      "id": "anthropic-claude-code-search-tools",
      "title": "Anthropic — Claude Code tools reference",
      "href": "https://code.claude.com/docs/en/tools-reference",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Anthropic",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Glob and Grep"
    },
    {
      "id": "anthropic-claude-code-workflow",
      "title": "Anthropic — How Claude Code works",
      "href": "https://code.claude.com/docs/en/how-claude-code-works",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Anthropic",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Agentic loop across a project"
    },
    {
      "id": "google-gemini-file-system-tools",
      "title": "Google — Gemini CLI file system tools",
      "href": "https://geminicli.com/docs/tools/file-system/",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Google",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "glob and grep_search"
    },
    {
      "id": "cursor-agent-tools",
      "title": "Cursor — Agent overview",
      "href": "https://cursor.com/docs/agent/overview",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Cursor",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Search files and folders"
    },
    {
      "id": "github-copilot-cli-tool-controls",
      "title": "GitHub — Allowing and denying tool use in Copilot CLI",
      "href": "https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/use-copilot-cli/allowing-tools",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "GitHub",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Introduction and available tools"
    },
    {
      "id": "cline-codebase-search",
      "title": "Cline — Tools reference",
      "href": "https://docs.cline.bot/tools-reference/all-cline-tools",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Cline",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Built-In Tools"
    },
    {
      "id": "continue-agent-tools",
      "title": "Continue — How Agent mode works",
      "href": "https://docs.continue.dev/features/agent/how-it-works",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Continue",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Tools available in Plan mode"
    },
    {
      "id": "opencode-search-tools",
      "title": "OpenCode — Tools",
      "href": "https://opencode.ai/docs/tools",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "OpenCode",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "grep and glob"
    },
    {
      "id": "zed-agent-project-search",
      "title": "Zed — AI Quick Start",
      "href": "https://zed.dev/docs/ai/quick-start",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Zed Industries",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Use the Zed Agent"
    },
    {
      "id": "aider-repository-map",
      "title": "Aider — Frequently asked questions",
      "href": "https://aider.chat/docs/faq.html",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Aider",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "How can I add all files to the chat and repository map"
    },
    {
      "id": "windsurf-cascade-search-tools",
      "title": "Windsurf — Cascade overview",
      "href": "https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/cascade",
      "kind": "docs",
      "publisher": "Windsurf",
      "evidenceType": "documented",
      "reviewedAt": "2026-08-28",
      "locator": "Tool Calling"
    }
  ],
  "support": [
    {
      "harness": "claude-cli",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            2
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Claude Code tools documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "anthropic-claude-code-search-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            },
            {
              "resourceId": "anthropic-claude-code-workflow",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "gemini-cli",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            3
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Gemini CLI file-system tools documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "google-gemini-file-system-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "cursor",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            4
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Cursor Agent tools documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [
            {
              "type": "host-role",
              "value": "claim is scoped to Cursor Agent in the desktop workbench"
            }
          ],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "cursor-agent-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "vscode-copilot",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            5
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current VS Code workspace-context documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "microsoft-vscode-workspace-context",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "copilot-cli",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            6
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current GitHub Copilot CLI tool-permissions documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [
            {
              "type": "policy",
              "value": "read-only search operations are allowed automatically unless tool restrictions override them"
            }
          ],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "github-copilot-cli-tool-controls",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "cline",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            7
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Cline tools reference",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "cline-codebase-search",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "continue",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            8
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Continue Agent mode documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "continue-agent-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "opencode",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            9
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current OpenCode tools documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [
            {
              "type": "policy",
              "value": "grep and glob availability can be allowed, denied, or set to ask through OpenCode permissions"
            }
          ],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "opencode-search-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "zed-agent",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            10
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Zed Agent quick-start documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [
            {
              "type": "host-role",
              "value": "claim is scoped to Zed's native Agent"
            }
          ],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "zed-agent-project-search",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "aider",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "partial",
          "noteIds": [
            11
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Aider repository-map documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [
            {
              "type": "runtime",
              "value": "Aider provides a task-aware repository map for relevance discovery, but the reviewed documentation does not expose a dedicated interactive workspace-search tool"
            }
          ],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "aider-repository-map",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "harness": "windsurf",
      "versions": [
        {
          "track": "current",
          "status": "yes",
          "noteIds": [
            12
          ],
          "target": {
            "kind": "dated-documentation",
            "revision": "current Cascade overview documentation",
            "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
          },
          "environmentProfile": "local-default",
          "qualifiers": [],
          "evidence": [
            {
              "resourceId": "windsurf-cascade-search-tools",
              "type": "documented",
              "observedAt": "2026-08-28"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "html": "/features/workspace-search",
  "markdown": "/features/workspace-search.md",
  "json": "/api/v1/features/workspace-search.json",
  "body": "Search a codebase or knowledge tree before editing.\n\nThe matrix below lists published **web**, **desktop**, and **CLI** surfaces. Unreviewed cells remain **unknown** until a dated note and public source support a more specific status.\n\nUse the Markdown and JSON twins if you are an agent reading this site."
}