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Skill v1.0.0

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PublishedOctober 23, 2026 at 03:01 AM
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version: "1.0.0" name: vera description: Code search over the current repository. Before reading files to answer "where is X", "how does Y work", "find Z", or "what calls W", run vera search "<query>" or vera references <symbol> first. Use vera grep for exact strings and regex, vera structural for definitions, routes, and env reads. Do not read multiple files hoping to find the right one; search first, then read the hit.


Vera

Ranked code search over an indexed repository. Results are markdown codeblocks: path:line_start-line_end symbol_type:symbol_name, then the code.

Pick the tool

You are about to...Do this instead
Read files to find where something livesvera search "config object construction"
Read files to understand how something worksvera search "env file loading decision"
Find documentation on a topicvera search "deploying behind proxy" --scope docs
Find every occurrence of a pattern`vera grep "TODO\FIXME"`
Find callers or callees of a symbolvera references make_config
Find definitions, routes, env readsvera structural env / vera structural routes
Edit the same pattern in many filesrg
Read a file you already knowRead it directly

Do not use Vera when

  • You already know the exact path and line: open the file.
  • You are editing across many files mechanically: use rg.
  • The answer is a literal string you can match: vera grep beats vera search.
  • You have already run two searches that returned the same region: stop searching and read the code.

Search well

  • Search behavior, not nouns: "JWT expiry handling", not "auth" or "utils".
  • Pass several angles in one call: vera search "OAuth token refresh" "JWT expiry" "auth middleware".
  • Start broad with --compact (signatures only, fewer tokens), then narrow with --lang, --path, --type, --limit.
  • Add --intent "<goal>" when the query is vague but the goal is clear.
  • Scope to a change with --changed, --since <rev>, or --base <rev> when reviewing a diff.
  • --deep rewrites the query through an LLM; use it only after normal search misses.

Treat hits as leads

  • A search hit is a lead, not evidence. Before stating how something behaves, open the cited lines.
  • Follow the call graph rather than re-searching: vera references <symbol> on a promising hit answers "who drives this" in one step.
  • Cite path:line from code you actually read.
  • After editing files, run vera update . before searching again.

Recovery

SymptomFix
no index foundvera index .
Stale results after editsvera update . (or vera watch .)
A file is missing from resultsvera explain-path path/to/file
Local model or ONNX errorvera doctor --probe, then references/troubleshooting.md
Missing local assetsvera repair
Install, API keys, backendsreferences/install.md
MCP serverreferences/mcp.md

References

  • references/install.md: install, setup, API and local config, .veraignore rules
  • references/query-patterns.md: more query examples and rg guidance
  • references/troubleshooting.md: common errors and fixes
  • references/mcp.md: optional MCP server usage
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