grepai-search-boosting（grepai 搜索提升）

GrepAI Search Boosting

This skill covers configuring score boosting to prioritize relevant code paths and deprioritize tests, docs, and vendor code.

When to Use This Skill

• Prioritizing source code over tests
• Penalizing vendor/third-party code
• Boosting important directories
• Customizing result ranking

What is Boosting?

Boosting modifies search scores based on file paths:

Original score: 0.85 (src/auth.go)
Bonus (+10%):   0.935

Original score: 0.85 (tests/auth_test.go)
Penalty (-50%): 0.425

This ensures production code ranks higher than tests with similar content.

Configuration

Basic Configuration

# .grepai/config.yaml
search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: /tests/
        factor: 0.5
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /src/
        factor: 1.1

Full Configuration

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true

    # Reduce scores (factor < 1.0)
    penalties:
      # Test files
      - pattern: /tests/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /__tests__/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: _test.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: .spec.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: .test.
        factor: 0.5

      # Documentation
      - pattern: /docs/
        factor: 0.6
      - pattern: /documentation/
        factor: 0.6

      # Vendor/third-party
      - pattern: /vendor/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: /node_modules/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: /third_party/
        factor: 0.3

      # Generated code
      - pattern: /generated/
        factor: 0.4
      - pattern: .gen.
        factor: 0.4
      - pattern: .pb.go
        factor: 0.4

      # Examples and samples
      - pattern: /examples/
        factor: 0.7
      - pattern: /samples/
        factor: 0.7

    # Increase scores (factor > 1.0)
    bonuses:
      # Core source code
      - pattern: /src/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /lib/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /app/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /core/
        factor: 1.2
      - pattern: /internal/
        factor: 1.1

      # Important directories
      - pattern: /services/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /handlers/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /controllers/
        factor: 1.1

How Factors Work

Pattern Matching

Patterns match against the full file path:

/project/src/auth/middleware.go
         ^^^^
         Matches "/src/" pattern

Pattern Types

Effect on Rankings

Without Boosting

Score: 0.85 | tests/auth_test.go:10-30
Score: 0.82 | src/auth/middleware.go:15-45
Score: 0.80 | src/auth/jwt.go:23-55

With Boosting

penalties:
  - pattern: /tests/
    factor: 0.5
bonuses:
  - pattern: /src/
    factor: 1.1

Score: 0.90 | src/auth/middleware.go:15-45  (0.82 × 1.1)
Score: 0.88 | src/auth/jwt.go:23-55        (0.80 × 1.1)
Score: 0.43 | tests/auth_test.go:10-30     (0.85 × 0.5)

Common Configurations

Standard (Recommended)

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: /tests/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: _test.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: .spec.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /vendor/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: /docs/
        factor: 0.6
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /src/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /lib/
        factor: 1.1

Frontend Project

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: /__tests__/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: .test.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: .spec.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /node_modules/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: .stories.
        factor: 0.6
      - pattern: /storybook/
        factor: 0.6
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /src/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /components/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /hooks/
        factor: 1.1

Go Project

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: _test.go
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: _mock.go
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /testdata/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /vendor/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: .pb.go
        factor: 0.4
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /internal/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /cmd/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /pkg/
        factor: 1.1

Python Project

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: /tests/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: test_
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: _test.py
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /conftest
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /fixtures/
        factor: 0.6
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /src/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /app/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /core/
        factor: 1.2

Monorepo

search:
  boost:
    enabled: true
    penalties:
      - pattern: /tests/
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: _test.
        factor: 0.5
      - pattern: /packages/deprecated/
        factor: 0.3
      - pattern: /packages/legacy/
        factor: 0.4
    bonuses:
      - pattern: /packages/core/
        factor: 1.2
      - pattern: /packages/api/
        factor: 1.1
      - pattern: /packages/shared/
        factor: 1.1

Disabling Boosting

To disable boosting entirely:

search:
  boost:
    enabled: false

Or remove the boost section from config.

Boosting vs Ignoring

When to Ignore vs Penalize

• Ignore: Files you NEVER want to search (node_modules, .git)
• Penalize: Files you RARELY want but might need (tests, docs)

Testing Your Configuration

After configuring boosting:

# Search and observe rankings
grepai search "authentication"

# Check if tests are properly deprioritized
grepai search "test authentication"  # Should still find tests, but ranked lower

Best Practices

1. Start with penalties: Deprioritize tests/vendor first
2. Add bonuses sparingly: Only for truly important paths
3. Test with real queries: Verify results make sense
4. Don't over-penalize: 0.5 is usually enough for tests
5. Document your choices: Add comments in config

Common Issues

❌ Problem: Tests always show up first ✅ Solution: Add penalty patterns for your test naming convention

❌ Problem: Can't find code in penalized paths ✅ Solution: Penalties reduce rank, don't hide. Use ignore for complete exclusion.

❌ Problem: Scores above 1.0 seem wrong ✅ Solution: Bonuses can push scores above 1.0; this is normal

❌ Problem: Pattern not matching ✅ Solution: Check that pattern appears in full path (use /tests/ not just tests)

Output Format

Boosting configuration status:

✅ Search Boosting Configured

   Status: Enabled

   Penalties (5):
   - /tests/      → 0.5 (50% reduction)
   - _test.       → 0.5
   - .spec.       → 0.5
   - /vendor/     → 0.3 (70% reduction)
   - /docs/       → 0.6

   Bonuses (3):
   - /src/        → 1.1 (10% boost)
   - /lib/        → 1.1
   - /core/       → 1.2 (20% boost)

   Effect: Source code ranks higher than tests with similar content