Search syntax

A Grove query is a list of terms and filters. Terms match file contents and paths; filters such as repo:, file: and lang: narrow where Grove looks and what it returns.

Search results with match counts by language and repository in the sidebar

Terms

Separate terms with spaces. A file matches when it contains all terms, in any order and on any line.

Query	Finds
`test server`	files containing both `test` and `server`
`"Error 1001"`	the exact string, space included
`"\"Error 1001\""`	a string that contains quotes
`foo OR bar`	files containing either term
`-deprecated`	files that do not contain `deprecated`
`open(file\|dir)`	a regular expression (in Regex mode)

Text and Regex mode

The Text / Regex toggle next to the search bar decides how terms are read:

Text (the default) matches terms literally. foo.bar( finds exactly that.
Regex reads each term as a regular expression (RE2 syntax): \d+, [a-z]+, ^func, Err.*Timeout.

Filters work the same in both modes. In Regex mode, spaces still separate terms, so match a space with \s or put the pattern in quotes, and parentheses group terms rather than characters. The mode is part of the URL (&regex=1), so shared links keep it.

Case

Matching ignores case unless a term contains an uppercase letter: handler finds Handler, HandlerFunc does not find handlerfunc. Add case:yes or case:no to force it either way.

Filters

Prefix most filters with - to exclude instead of include. Filter values are regular expressions unless noted.

Filter	Restricts results to
`repo:` / `r:`	repositories whose name matches, e.g. `repo:payments/` for every repository of an org
`file:` / `f:`	files whose path matches, e.g. `file:\.proto$` or `file:test`
`dir:`	files under a directory, matched literally: `dir:internal/auth`
`lang:`	a language, e.g. `lang:go`, `lang:typescript`
`sym:`	symbol definitions (functions, types, …) whose name matches
`content:`	file contents only, not paths
`repohasfile:`	repositories containing a matching file, e.g. `repohasfile:go.mod`
`archived:`	`archived:yes` includes archived repositories, `archived:only` searches only them
`context:`	a saved search context, e.g. `context:frontend`
`case:`	`case:yes` / `case:no` overrides case handling

Archived repositories are left out unless the query says otherwise. Filters combine with each other and with terms:

lang:go dir:internal -file:_test\.go context.WithCancel

repo:backend repohasfile:go.mod sql.Open

Choosing what results show: `select:`

select: changes the shape of the results, not what matches.

Value	Shows
(none)	matching files with their matched lines
`select:repo`	one row per repository that contains a match
`select:file`	the paths of matching files, without lines
`select:content`	matches inside file contents only; path matches are skipped

select:repo log4j answers “which repositories still mention log4j?” at a glance. file: and select:file combine: file:\.go$ select:file handler lists the Go files that mention handler.

select:repo results listing the repositories that contain a match

How many results: `count:`

A search returns the 100 most relevant files by default. Show more below the results raises the count; count: sets it in the query.

Value	Returns
`count:500`	up to 500 files
`count:all`	as many files as the server allows (5,000)

Every search is capped (5,000 files and 20,000 matched lines by default; see Configuration). When a cap cuts results short, narrow the query or use Download, which has larger limits.

Revisions

Grove indexes each repository’s default branch. To search another branch, tag or commit, add it to the repo: filter with @:

repo:github.com/acme/api@release-2.4 handleRefund

repo:acme/api@9f2c1e7 "retry budget"

The filter has to name a single repository. Revisions that aren’t indexed are searched with git on the fly: this works for any ref the mirror has, but it is slower and results aren’t ranked, and sym: isn’t available.

Commits and diffs

type:commit searches commit messages and type:diff searches the lines commits added or removed. See Commit and diff search.

Downloading results

Download on the results page exports the current query as a file, with larger limits than the page itself (10,000 files and 100,000 matched lines by default). A download cut short by a limit says so in its last line.

Tips

Start broad with select:repo, then add repo: to drill into the repositories that matter.
dir: is easier than file: when you want everything under a path: no anchors or escaping.
Click a language or repository in the results sidebar to add it as a filter.
Queries are part of the URL, so a search can be shared as a link.