cklisted

# ck Use `ck` (seek) when the task is about finding code by meaning or by exact text, especially in large repos where index-backed search helps. ## Search modes | Mode | Flag | Index needed | Best for | |------|------|-------------|----------| | Regex (default) | `--regex` or none | No | Exact identifiers, literals, paths | | Semantic | `--sem` | Auto-built | Conceptual queries ("error handling", "retry logic") | | Lexical | `--lex` | Auto-built | Ranked full-text phrases | | Hybrid | `--hybrid` | Auto-built | Keyword precision + semantic recall | ## When to use - Use `ck --sem` for conceptual searches like "error handling", "authentication logic", or "retry logic". - Use `ck --lex` when you want BM25-ranked full-text search. - Use `ck --hybrid` when you want keyword precision plus semantic recall. - Use plain `ck` with `-n`, `-r`, `-i`, `-w`, `-F`, `-C`, `-A`, and `-B` for grep-compatible exact search. - Use `--jsonl` for agent pipelines and `--serve` when an MCP client should query the repo directly. ## When not to use - Do not use semantic search for exact identifiers, literal strings, paths, or config keys. Use grep-style search instead. - Do not guess at stale index state; check `--status` or `--status-verbose`, and rebuild with `--index` when results look off. - Do not use `--serve` unless the workflow really needs MCP integration. ## Workflow 1. Start with the narrowest useful search. - `ck "TODO" src/` - `ck -n -r "fn main" .` 2. Switch to meaning-based