Searching files and content
Filter by name, search inside files with case, whole-word and regex options, limit by folder, and open through the palette.
Three searches, three reaches
| Search | Where it looks | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Filter by name | File and folder names in the tree | The Files panel’s search field, in the name reach |
| Search content | Text inside the workspace’s files | The same field, in the content reach |
| Go to file | The worktree’s names, with ranking | Its own palette, by shortcut |
The search field is single and toggles between the two reaches. The query survives the reach change — switching from “name” to “content” does not erase what you typed.
Filter by name
- The tree is filtered by names, with collapsed paths to show what matched.
- With an empty field, the tree itself is the answer: nothing is hidden.
- Very large queries are limited.
Search content
In the content reach, the search scans the text of the workspace’s files.
Field options:
- Case sensitivity — exact distinction.
- Whole word — avoids matching inside another word.
- Regular expression — for patterns.
- Include and exclude — restrict the scanned files by path pattern.
How the result appears:
- The list shows one group per file, with the lines that matched.
- The footer summarizes the result.
- Results only appear with the content reach and a non-empty query.
- Very large result sets have a rendering limit — that is what keeps the list from freezing.
Search in a specific folder
In a folder’s context menu, the search in this folder action:
- writes an include pattern with that folder;
- switches the reach to content;
- reveals the pattern fields, so you can see and adjust the filter.
If the result list looks cut off for no reason, check the pattern fields: the folder filter may be active.
Go to file
The go to file palette is the fastest path when you know the name:
- Open the palette by its shortcut.
- Type part of the name.
- Choose the result — the file opens for editing.
- The list is of the active worktree’s files.
- The palette depends on a file-search tool on the system. If it is missing, installation guidance appears instead of a list — the error is in the environment, not in your project.
Which to use
| Situation | Search |
|---|---|
| You know the name | Go to file |
| You want to see where a name appears in the tree | Filter by name |
| You are looking for where a text is in the code | Search content |
| You want to restrict to one folder | Search in this folder + search content |
Limits
- The content search reads the workspace’s files; what is in
.gitignoredepends on what the tree is showing. - There is no promise of unbounded search in very large repositories: there is a rendering limit on the result list.
- The palette depends on an external tool being present on the system.