grepai CLI

Semantic code search and call graphs for agents, fully local. MCP mode connects the search to Claude Code and Cursor

  • 1,910 ★ on the repository
  • Last commit
  • MIT
CLI

Minimal access

Why this level

  • Reads the repository, the index is on disk
  • Script installation runs through the shell
All reasons and checks

yoanbernabeu/grepai

Install

Manual install

brew install yoanbernabeu/tap/grepai

Or the install.sh script from the README, read it before running. MCP mode is turned on with a separate command per the README.

Access and checks

How we review

Minimal accessThe tool runs nothing and makes no network calls.

  • Reads the repository, the index is on disk
  • Script installation runs through the shell

This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.

What it does

grepai searches code by the meaning of a question and not by a string, and builds call graphs. It works locally: the index lives on disk and nothing goes out. A Go program, version 0.37.0 from 10.09.2026, MIT license. Installation: `brew install yoanbernabeu/tap/grepai` or the `install.sh` script. The MCP server mode is described in the README as a separate command, so an agent calls grepai as a tool.

Who it is for. For developers who need to find code in a big repository by a task description and see who calls whom.

Good fit when

  • You need meaning-based search in a big repository
  • You need function call graphs
  • You need local search with no code sent out

Not a fit when

  • You need exact string search: grep is enough for that
  • You need a ready cloud solution

Example request

Find where the project handles an expired token and show the call chain up to the handler

Limitations

It reads the repository and keeps the index on disk and sends no data out, so access is minimal. The index has to be rebuilt after big changes. If installing by script, read it first.

How to disable. Remove the program the way you installed it and the index folder in the project.

FAQ

What does grepai do?

It searches code by meaning and builds call graphs locally.

Does code leave the machine?

Per the author's description it works locally and sends no code out.

How do I install it?

brew install yoanbernabeu/tap/grepai or the install.sh script.

Discussion

No questions or reviews yet.

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Comparison with similar tools

Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.

EntryOfficialRepository starsMain difference
grepai (this entry)no1,910
Octocodeno510code search with a knowledge graph, code goes to the embedding provider
roam-codeno517local code analysis: an index, graphs and checks
SigMapno646a code map and a grounding check of agent answers

README in short

The README describes local semantic code search with call graphs and an MCP mode, installation through Homebrew. MIT license.

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