Dev Tools
probe
Semantic code search for AI — ripgrep speed with tree-sitter AST parsing.
★ 722 starsApache-2.0
View guide →// devtools · zvec-ai/zvec-grep
zvec-grep
zvec-grep is an open-source dev tools project by zvec-ai (zvec-ai/zvec-grep on GitHub). It has 3,994 GitHub stars and 235 forks, is released under the Apache-2.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 8 October 2026.
zvec-grep (zg): one local CLI unifying ripgrep-style exact search, BM25, and semantic vector search
★ 4.0k stars⑂ 235 forksApache-2.0updated 2026-10
▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.
// project facts
Project facts
- Repository
- zvec-ai/zvec-grep
- GitHub stars
- 3,994
- Forks
- 235
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Last updated on GitHub
- 8 October 2026
- Category
- Dev Tools
- Listing
- Full install guide
// how it works
How it works
- Pick your corpus
Choose the codebase or document set you want searchable by meaning, not just by string.
- Install zg
Install the CLI globally from npm (Node.js 22+).
- Build the index
Run zg index with a local embedding model to create the .zvec-grep/ index.
- Ask in natural language
Query with --human for readable, cited results, or wire zg into your agent via its installer/MCP tools.
// features
Why people love it
Three search modes in one tool
Exact (ripgrep-style), BM25, and vector/semantic search behind a single interface.
Code, docs, and data
Symbol-aware code search plus document and structured-data search.
Cited results
Ranked answers link back to source files and lines.
Local-first indexing
Indexes live in .zvec-grep/; local embedding models keep data on your machine by default.
Agent integration
One-command installs into agent tools (for example OpenCode) and MCP tool exposure.
Fast repeat queries
Index once, then query repeatedly without re-embedding the corpus.
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// run it
Run it yourself
- Clone the repository
Clone the project and enter its directory (CLI users can install from npm instead).
git clone https://github.com/zvec-ai/zvec-grep.git cd zvec-grep - Install the CLI
Install zg globally from npm (Node.js 22+ required).
npm install -g @zvec/zvec-grep - Index and query
Build an index with a local embedding model, then ask a question.
zg index --embedding local/potion-retrieval-32m zg query --human "where is authentication handled?" --limit 3
// use cases
What you can build
- Ask 'where is X handled?' across a large codebase and get cited locations
- Search internal docs semantically instead of guessing exact keywords
- Give a coding agent fast, source-linked retrieval over your repo
- Find similar code fragments by meaning when refactoring
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// faq
Questions, answered
Who maintains zvec-grep?
zvec-ai develops zvec-grep (the zvec vector-search project team).
Is zvec-grep free?
Yes, Apache-2.0 licensed and local-first.
Does it need a paid API key?
No — local embedding models are supported and are the default posture; remote embeddings are used only with your permission.
How does it compare to ripgrep alone?
ripgrep finds exact strings. zg keeps that, adds BM25 ranking and semantic vector search, and returns ranked results with citations — at the cost of building an index first.
How do I get started?
Run `npm install -g @zvec/zvec-grep`, `zg index` in your project, then `zg query --human "your question"`.
// keep exploring
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Get zvec-grep
Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.