tilth Code Reading CLI
jahala/tilth
Replaces grep, cat, find and ls with the tilth CLI, which returns AST-aware outlines, definitions, usages and callers across many languages in one call.
Answers where code is defined, who calls it and what shape a file has from a pre-built index, returning paths and line numbers instead of file contents.
Install Basemind Code Search
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-search --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .claude/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .claude/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-searchType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-search --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .agents/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .agents/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-search --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .cursor/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .cursor/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git --path skills/basemind-code-search--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-search --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .gemini/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .gemini/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-searchInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .github/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .github/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install Goldziher/basemind basemind-code-search --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/basemind-code-search .opencode/skills/basemind-code-search && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "basemind-code-search" agent skill from https://github.com/Goldziher/basemind/tree/main/skills/basemind-code-search into .opencode/skills/basemind-code-search/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "basemind-code-search", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
basemind-code-search- GitHub stars
- 106
- Token cost
- ~1.3k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 564 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 10
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Answers where code is defined, who calls it and what shape a file has from a pre-built index, returning paths and line numbers instead of file contents.
- Finding where a function or type is defined in a large repo
- SKILL.md covers The discipline, Tool routing, Examples and Notes
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
- Listing the callers or implementations of a symbol
What it does
Basemind pre-indexes a repository into a tree-sitter code map covering 300+ languages, so structural questions resolve from the index and return paths, line numbers and signatures rather than file bodies. The skill makes it the default: when a question is about where something lives, what calls it, what implements it or what shape a file has, the agent reaches for a basemind tool before grep, ripgrep or opening files.
The working habits are specific. Take an outline before opening a file, use symbol search instead of grep for definitions, use references and callers instead of grepping call sites, use the indexed grep mode only when regex over content is truly needed, avoid rereading files the index already mapped, and run the admin rescan after edits instead of reconnecting the server. A routing table maps each question to an MCP tool and a matching basemind CLI command, including definition lookup and a module map.
When your agent uses it
- Finding where a function or type is defined in a large repo
- Listing the callers or implementations of a symbol
- Getting a file outline before deciding what to read
Example prompts
- “Find where parseConfig is defined and list everything that calls it.”
- “Show me an outline of src/server/router.ts before you open it.”
- “Give me the module map of this repo.”
Requirements
- The basemind MCP server or CLI with the repository indexed
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 2f6da31. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Basemind Code Search loads about 1.3k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 100 tokens; SKILL.md has 564 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from Goldziher/basemind at commit 2f6da31, republished under its MIT licence (© Goldziher). 564 words, ~1,250 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/basemind-code-search/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- basemind-code-search
- description
- Find where code is defined and used without reading files — symbol search, file outlines, references, callers, call graphs, implementations, dependents, and indexed regex over content. Reach for it whenever the user asks "where is X defined", "what calls Y", "what implements Z", "what's the shape of this file", or whenever you're about to grep or open files to learn structure.
basemind-code-search — navigate code without reading it
basemind pre-indexes the repo into a tree-sitter code map across 300+ languages. Structural questions — where a symbol lives, what calls it, what shape a file has — resolve from the index in milliseconds and return paths, line numbers, and signatures, not file bodies. That is a fraction of the tokens of reading source, so it is the default, not an optimization.
basemind first, grep/read fallback. If a question is about where, what calls, what shape,
or what implements, a basemind tool answers it cheaper than grep/rg or opening files. Drop to
raw shell only when no tool covers the question.
The discipline
- Use
codemodeoutlinebefore you open a file. A 1000-line file becomes a 30-line table of contents. Read the actual source only once you have the exact span, then read that range, not the file. - Use
codemodesymbolsinstead ofgrepfor a definition. It matches indexed symbol names and returnspath:line, skipping the comment/string/test-name noise grep drowns you in. - Use
codemodesreferences/callersinstead of grepping call sites. Indexed call edges, not text matches. - Use
codemodegrepinstead of shelling out to ripgrep when you genuinely need regex over content — it runs over the in-RAM index and returns capped, structured hits. - Do not re-read a file basemind already mapped. If the outline answered the question, stop.
- Use
adminmoderescanafter you edit code, not a server reconnect. Passpaths: [...]to limit it.
Tool routing
| Question | MCP tool | CLI |
|---|---|---|
| "Where is X defined?" | code { mode: "symbols", name: "X" } (substring, optional kind) | basemind code symbols "X" |
| "Jump to the definition of X used here?" | code { mode: "definition", path: F, line } (scope-aware) | basemind code definition F line [--column] |
| "What's the high-level architecture / module map?" | graph { mode: "map" } | basemind graph map |
| "What's the shape of file F?" | code { mode: "outline", path: F } (add l2: true) | basemind code outline F [--l2] |
| "What calls X?" (any name) | code { mode: "references", name: "X" } | basemind code references "X" |
| "What calls this specific definition?" | code { mode: "callers", path: F, name } | basemind code callers F name [--kind] |
| "Trace the call graph from a function?" | graph { mode: "calls", name } (bounded BFS) | basemind graph calls "name" [--direction --max-depth] |
| "What implements / extends / inherits X?" | code { mode: "implementations", trait_name: "X" } | basemind code implementations "X" |
| "What imports module M?" | code { mode: "dependents", module: "M" } | basemind code dependents "M" |
| "What files are indexed?" | code { mode: "files" } (filter by language/path) | basemind code files [--language --path-contains] |
| "Regex over file contents?" | code { mode: "grep", pattern: "…" } | basemind code grep "pattern" [--language --path-contains] |
| "What's indexed?" | admin { mode: "status" } | basemind admin status |
| "Refresh the index after editing?" | admin { mode: "rescan", paths: […] } | basemind admin rescan [path…] |
| "Fetch the next page?" | pass next_cursor from the prior response as cursor | — |
Show full SKILL.md (106 more words)Show less
Examples
code { mode: "symbols", name: "MapCache" }
→ src/mcp/mod.rs:79:1 MapCache (struct)
src/mcp/mod.rs:88:1 MapCache (impl)
code { mode: "references", name: "process_file" }
→ src/scanner.rs:142:9 process_file
src/scanner.rs:201:13 process_file
code { mode: "outline", path: "src/mcp/tools.rs" }
→ 21 code router (function)
112 code helper (function)Notes
- Matching on symbol names is substring:
codemodereferenceswithname: "bar"matchesFoo::bar()andbar()alike. There is no scope resolution — cross-check withcodemodeoutlinewhen disambiguation matters. - Lists are capped (
limit, default 100, max 1000). Index scanners usescan_cap = limit * 8to bound work on common names. - Needs an index in the machine-global cache (Linux
~/.local/share/basemind/, macOS~/Library/Application Support/basemind/; overrideBASEMIND_DATA_HOME) — runbasemind scanfirst (see thebasemind-scanskill). "No indexed files" means the scan hasn't run in this repo yet.
For git history / blame / diffs see basemind-git-history; for document RAG and semantic search see
basemind-documents; for agent coordination see basemind-comms.
© Goldziher, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in skills/basemind-code-search of Goldziher/basemind.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 2f6da31
Compare with similar skills
Basemind Code Search next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basemind Code Search this skillGoldziher/basemind | 106 | — | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| tilth Code Reading CLIjahala/tilth | 352 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| trace-mcp Code Navigationnikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp | 186 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Codegraph Detection Partneritechmeat/open-second-brain | 430 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Smart Explore Code Searchthedotmack/claude-mem | 98k | — | ~2.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Codebase SearchHelweg/open-codebase-index | 217 | — | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
Similar skills
trace-mcp Code Navigation
nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp
Routes code exploration through trace-mcp's indexed dependency graph, using symbol search, outlines, call graphs and change-impact tools instead of Read, Grep and Glob.
Codegraph Detection Partner
itechmeat/open-second-brain
Teaches the agent to detect whether the codegraph symbol graph is available and use it for callers, callees and impact questions, without installing or writing anything for it.
Smart Explore Code Search
thedotmack/claude-mem
Explores code structure with tree-sitter AST search tools, getting a ranked symbol map and file outlines before reading full source, to save tokens.
Codebase Search
Helweg/open-codebase-index
Chooses the right retrieval tool for code questions: compact context for unfamiliar repos, direct lookup for known symbols, call graphs for relationships and grep for exhaustive matches.
Codebase Search Workflow
Helweg/open-codebase-index
Directs an agent to use a local codebase index for repository orientation, definition lookups, call graphs and semantic search before turning to web lookups.
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Diagnose and recover basemind when it isn't working — MCP tools missing or erroring, "no index" / "no indexed files", empty results that shouldn't be empty, or the MCP server seems dead.
Basemind Documents
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Related
Works with
Categories
Questions about Basemind Code Search
What does Basemind Code Search do?
Answers where code is defined, who calls it and what shape a file has from a pre-built index, returning paths and line numbers instead of file contents. Basemind pre-indexes a repository into a tree-sitter code map covering 300+ languages, so structural questions resolve from the index and return paths, line numbers and signatures rather than file bodies. The skill makes it the default: when a question is about where something lives, what calls it, what implements it or what shape a file has, the agent reaches for a basemind tool before grep, ripgrep or opening files.
When should I use Basemind Code Search?
Basemind Code Search fits situations like: finding where a function or type is defined in a large repo; listing the callers or implementations of a symbol; getting a file outline before deciding what to read.
How do I install Basemind Code Search in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/basemind-code-search in Goldziher/basemind) into .claude/skills/basemind-code-search in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Basemind Code Search in Codex?
Run `npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/basemind-code-search in Goldziher/basemind) into .agents/skills/basemind-code-search in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Basemind Code Search in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add Goldziher/basemind --skill basemind-code-search -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/basemind-code-search, .gemini/skills/basemind-code-search, .github/skills/basemind-code-search and .opencode/skills/basemind-code-search in your project.
What does Basemind Code Search need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Basemind Code Search is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: The basemind MCP server or CLI with the repository indexed.
Does Basemind Code Search access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Basemind Code Search safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Basemind Code Search use?
Basemind Code Search is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Basemind Code Search use?
About 1.3k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Basemind Code Search?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Basemind Code Search: tilth Code Reading CLI (jahala/tilth, 352 stars), trace-mcp Code Navigation (nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp, 186 stars), Codegraph Detection Partner (itechmeat/open-second-brain, 430 stars) and Smart Explore Code Search (thedotmack/claude-mem, 98k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Basemind Code Search?
Goldziher (a GitHub user) maintains it in Goldziher/basemind, which has 106 GitHub stars. The repository holds 10 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.
Source: Goldziher/basemind on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.