select-files

Select Files

Select the minimal set of files from a codebase that are essential for completing a given task. Uses an iterative LLM-driven search with both regex and semantic vector search capabilities.

How It Works

The select-files agent:

1. Analyzes the repository structure and file summaries
2. Iteratively searches and inspects files using regex and/or vector search
3. Decides which files to keep or ignore based on relevance
4. Returns the minimal set of files needed for the task

Usage

Via MCP Tool

If you have the TypedAI MCP server configured, use the selectFiles tool:

{
  "workingDirectory": "/path/to/your/project",
  "requirements": "Find all files related to user authentication",
  "initialFilePaths": ["src/auth/index.ts"]  // optional
}

Parameters:

• workingDirectory (required): Absolute path to the project directory
• requirements (required): Description of what files are needed and why
• initialFilePaths (optional): Array of file paths to include in initial context

Via CLI

# Standalone command (recommended)
select-files "Find all files related to user authentication"

# With initial files to include
select-files --initial-files=src/auth/index.ts,src/config.ts "Find related configuration"

# From any directory (uses --fs flag automatically)
cd /path/to/your/project
select-files "Find database models"

# Alternative: via ai wrapper
ai select-files "Find database models"

Flags:

• --initial-files=file1,file2: Comma-separated list of initial files to include
• -r: Resume from previous agent run

Output Format

Returns a JSON array of selected files:

[
  {
    "filePath": "src/auth/authenticate.ts",
    "reason": "Contains the main authentication logic and session management"
  },
  {
    "filePath": "src/config/auth.config.ts",
    "reason": "Authentication configuration including JWT settings"
  }
]

Fields:

• filePath: Relative path to the file from the project root
• reason: Explanation of why this file was selected
• readOnly (optional): Whether the file should only be read, not modified
• category (optional): One of edit, reference, style_example, unknown