ast-grep Structural Code Search

About

This skill empowers Claude to move beyond simple string-based searches by understanding the underlying structure of code. By utilizing ast-grep, it can identify complex patterns like 'async functions missing error handling' or 'specific function calls within class methods,' and even automate large-scale code transformations. It is an essential tool for codebase maintenance, architectural migrations, and complex code analysis where traditional grep or regex-based tools fall short.

Key Features

• Structural pattern matching using AST-based logic
• 1 GitHub stars
• Meta-variable support for capturing and transforming code segments
• Advanced relational queries including 'inside', 'has', and 'precedes'
• Automated code rewriting and large-scale refactoring
• Multi-language support for precise syntax-aware analysis

Use Cases

• Identifying security vulnerabilities by finding specific unsafe code patterns
• Enforcing architectural standards by locating code with specific structural characteristics
• Migrating deprecated API calls to new syntax across a large repository