grep-ast

Warnings

• gotcha This `grep-ast` tool is distinct from the `ast-grep` (Rust-based) project, despite similar names and AST-related functionality. `grep-ast` focuses on text-based regex search with AST-aware output, while `ast-grep` (and its Python binding `ast-grep-py`) uses AST patterns for search and rewrite.
  Fix: Ensure you are using the correct tool for your desired functionality; if you need AST-pattern matching or rewriting, consider `ast-grep` or `ast-grep-py`.
• gotcha The search patterns provided to `grep-ast` are regular expressions applied to the *text* of the code, not directly to AST nodes. The AST is used to provide context for the matched text lines, not for pattern matching itself.
  Fix: Formulate your patterns as standard regular expressions. If you require matching against the structural properties of the AST directly, tools like `ast-grep` are designed for that.
• gotcha By default, `grep-ast` recursively searches the current directory and respects `.gitignore`. This might lead to unexpected results if you intend to search files outside the Git repository's scope or want to override `.gitignore` rules.
  Fix: Explicitly specify target files or directories to limit the search scope. Use the `--no-gitignore` option if you need to bypass `.gitignore` filtering (check the latest CLI options for availability).

Install

• pip install grep-ast Install via pip

Quickstart

To quickly search for a pattern in a specific file or recursively in the current directory, use the `grep-ast` command followed by your pattern and optional filenames or paths. By default, it respects .gitignore. You can also use `gast` as an alias.

grep-ast "function_name" my_module.py
grep-ast "class MyClass" .