Much more token efficient code_search

Author: jahooma

.agents/file-explorer/code-searcher.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { JSONValue } from 'types/util-types'
 import { publisher } from '../constants'
 
 import type { SecretAgentDefinition } from '../types/secret-agent-definition'
@@ -51,18 +52,19 @@ const codeSearcher: SecretAgentDefinition = {
     'Mechanically runs multiple code search queries (using ripgrep line-oriented search) and returns all results',
   model: 'anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5',
   publisher,
-  outputMode: 'all_messages',
   includeMessageHistory: false,
-  toolNames: ['code_search'],
+  toolNames: ['code_search', 'set_output'],
   spawnableAgents: [],
   inputSchema: {
     params: paramsSchema,
   },
+  outputMode: 'structured_output',
   handleSteps: function* ({ params }) {
     const searchQueries: SearchQuery[] = params?.searchQueries ?? []
 
+    const toolResults: JSONValue[] = []
     for (const query of searchQueries) {
-      yield {
+      const { toolResult } = yield {
         toolName: 'code_search',
         input: {
           pattern: query.pattern,
@@ -71,6 +73,20 @@ const codeSearcher: SecretAgentDefinition = {
           maxResults: query.maxResults,
         },
       }
+      if (toolResult) {
+        toolResults.push(
+          ...toolResult
+            .filter((result) => result.type === 'json')
+            .map((result) => result.value),
+        )
+      }
+    }
+
+    yield {
+      toolName: 'set_output',
+      input: {
+        results: toolResults,
+      },
     }
   },
 }

common/src/util/format-code-search.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/**
+ * Formats code search output to group matches by file.
+ *
+ * Input format: ./file.ts:line content
+ * Output format:
+ * ./file.ts:
+ * line content
+ * another line content
+ * yet another line content
+ *
+ * (double newline between distinct files)
+ *
+ * @param stdout The raw stdout from ripgrep
+ * @returns Formatted output with matches grouped by file
+ */
+export function formatCodeSearchOutput(stdout: string): string {
+  const lines = stdout.split('\n')
+  const formatted: string[] = []
+  let currentFile: string | null = null
+
+  for (const line of lines) {
+    if (!line.trim()) {
+      formatted.push(line)
+      continue
+    }
+
+    // Find the first colon to separate file path from content
+    const colonIndex = line.indexOf(':')
+    if (colonIndex === -1) {
+      formatted.push(line)
+      continue
+    }
+
+    const filePath = line.substring(0, colonIndex)
+    const content = line.substring(colonIndex)
+
+    // Check if this is a new file (file paths don't start with whitespace)
+    if (filePath && !filePath.startsWith(' ') && !filePath.startsWith('\t')) {
+      if (filePath !== currentFile) {
+        // New file - add double newline before it (except for the first file)
+        if (currentFile !== null) {
+          formatted.push('')
+        }
+        currentFile = filePath
+        // Show file path with colon on its own line
+        formatted.push(filePath + ':')
+        // Show content without leading colon on next line
+        formatted.push(content.substring(1))
+      } else {
+        // Same file - just show content without leading colon
+        formatted.push(content.substring(1))
+      }
+    } else {
+      // Line doesn't match expected format, keep as-is
+      formatted.push(line)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return formatted.join('\n')
+}

npm-app/src/tool-handlers.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   getProjectFileTree,
 } from '@codebuff/common/project-file-tree'
 import { truncateStringWithMessage } from '@codebuff/common/util/string'
+import { formatCodeSearchOutput } from '@codebuff/common/util/format-code-search'
 import micromatch from 'micromatch'
 import { cyan, green, red, yellow } from 'picocolors'
 
@@ -371,9 +372,10 @@ export const handleCodeSearch: ToolHandler<'code_search'> = async (
         }
       }
 
-      const previewResults = limitedLines.slice(0, 3)
-      if (previewResults.length > 0) {
-        console.log(previewResults.join('\n'))
+      const previewResults = limitedLines.slice(0, 3).join('\n')
+      if (previewResults) {
+        const formattedPreview = formatCodeSearchOutput(previewResults)
+        console.log(formattedPreview)
         if (limitedLines.length > 3) {
           console.log('...')
         }
@@ -408,7 +410,7 @@ export const handleCodeSearch: ToolHandler<'code_search'> = async (
         limitedStdout += `\n\n[${truncationMessages.join('\n\n')}]`
       }
 
-      const finalStdout = limitedStdout
+      const finalStdout = formatCodeSearchOutput(limitedStdout)
 
       const truncatedStdout = truncateStringWithMessage({
         str: finalStdout,
@@ -421,8 +423,7 @@ export const handleCodeSearch: ToolHandler<'code_search'> = async (
       const result = {
         stdout: truncatedStdout,
         ...(truncatedStderr && { stderr: truncatedStderr }),
-        ...(code !== null && { exitCode: code }),
-        message: 'Code search completed',
+        message: code !== null ? `Exit code: ${code}` : '',
       }
       resolve([
         {

sdk/src/tools/code-search.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { spawn } from 'child_process'
 import * as path from 'path'
 
+import { formatCodeSearchOutput } from '../../../common/src/util/format-code-search'
 import { getBundledRgPath } from '../native/ripgrep'
 
 import type { CodebuffToolOutput } from '../../../common/src/tools/list'
@@ -62,13 +63,14 @@ export function codeSearch({
       const lines = stdout.split('\n')
       const limitedLines = lines.slice(0, maxResults)
       const limitedStdout = limitedLines.join('\n')
+      const formattedStdout = formatCodeSearchOutput(limitedStdout)
 
       // Add truncation message if results were limited
       const finalStdout =
         lines.length > maxResults
-          ? limitedStdout +
+          ? formattedStdout +
             `\n\n[Results limited to ${maxResults} of ${lines.length} total matches]`
-          : limitedStdout
+          : formattedStdout
 
       // Truncate output to prevent memory issues
       const maxLength = 10000
@@ -86,8 +88,7 @@ export function codeSearch({
       const result = {
         stdout: truncatedStdout,
         ...(truncatedStderr && { stderr: truncatedStderr }),
-        ...(code !== null && { exitCode: code }),
-        message: 'Code search completed',
+        message: code !== null ? `Exit code: ${code}` : '',
       }
 
       resolve([