search-before-edit

Search Before Edit

MANDATORY: Always search/grep before modifying ANY file. This prevents breaking existing patterns and ensures changes fit the codebase.

The Rule

Before editing ANY file, you MUST:

1. Search for existing usage patterns
2. Understand the file's context
3. Check for related code that may need updates

Required Searches

Before Creating New Code

DO:

• Search for similar existing implementations
• Check if the functionality already exists
• Look for established patterns in the codebase
• Find related files that might be affected

# Example: Before creating a new button component
grep -r "Button" src/components/
grep -r "btn-" src/styles/
grep -r "button" src/  # case variations

Before Modifying Existing Code

DO:

• Search for all usages of what you're changing
• Find imports/exports of the modified code
• Identify dependent files
• Check for tests that might need updates

# Example: Before renaming a function
grep -r "oldFunctionName" .
grep -r "from.*module-with-function" .
grep -r "oldFunctionName" **/*.test.*

Before Deleting Code

DO:

• Search for ALL references to the deleted code
• Check for dynamic imports or string references
• Verify nothing will break
• Look for documentation references

# Example: Before deleting a component
grep -r "ComponentName" .
grep -r "component-name" .  # kebab-case
grep -r "componentName" .   # camelCase

Search Strategies

Multiple Query Wording

Run multiple searches with different terms. First-pass results often miss key details.

# Don't just search once
grep -r "authentication"

# Also try variations
grep -r "auth"
grep -r "login"
grep -r "session"
grep -r "signin"
grep -r "sign-in"

Semantic First, Then Specific

Start with broad, high-level queries, then narrow down:

1. Broad: "authentication flow"
2. Medium: "verifyToken"
3. Exact: function signature or unique string

Check Related Files

When modifying a file, check its neighbors:

• Same directory siblings
• Import sources
• Test files (*.test.*, *.spec.*)
• Type definition files (*.d.ts, types.ts)
• Story files (*.stories.*)
• Documentation