How to Use DigUp Code Search

DigUp code search is an optional feature that indexes chosen project repositories into a separate index, allowing natural-language queries with a code: prefix to locate definitions, functions, and notebook cells.

Current versions: 0.6.1 for Mac, 0.7.0-beta.1 (beta) for Windows and Linux; checked against DigUp's GitHub releases on October 15, 2026.

DigUp includes an optional code search capability powered by EmbeddingGemma 2. Code search stays turned off until you activate it during setup or in Settings → Code. DigUp builds a separate index specifically for your repositories, so code entries never mix with standard desktop files. For general search controls, see the How to Use DigUp guide.

How to Query Code

To search your projects, prefix your query with code: in the search bar. You can describe what the code does or type a specific identifier name:

  • code: retry a failed call with backoff finds the function, whatever it is called.
  • code: refreshAccessToken goes to the line that defines it, not the places that call it.
  • code: plot how many examples each class has finds the matching notebook cell.

Results open directly at the matching line in your editor. DigUp supports Zed, VS Code, Cursor, Sublime Text, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode on a Mac, and Notepad++ on Windows. You can choose your editor in Settings.

What Gets Indexed

DigUp reads source files, notebooks without their outputs, and a repository’s own documentation files.

  • Skips files ignored by git.
  • Skips vendored and generated code.
  • Skips data files, keys, and passwords.

While you edit files, the index catches up one minute after things go quiet. On a Mac, reading code takes about 20 seconds for a small app, and about 20 minutes and 130 MB of index for all of llama.cpp. Settings displays how long reading each repository takes and how much room its index needs.

Step by step

  1. Enable code search

    Turn on code search during initial setup or in Settings → Code.

  2. Select repository folders

    Choose the project folders you want to search. DigUp shows the estimated indexing time and index size for each repo.

  3. Choose your editor

    Select your preferred editor in Settings, such as Zed, VS Code, Cursor, Sublime Text, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode on a Mac, or Notepad++ on Windows.

  4. Search using the code prefix

    Open the search panel and start your query with code: to search for functions, notebook cells, or exact definitions.

Questions

Which code files does DigUp index?

DigUp reads source files, notebooks without their outputs, and a repository's own docs. It skips gitignored files, vendored or generated code, data files, and items that look like keys or passwords.

When does DigUp update the code index while I work?

The code index catches up a minute after things go quiet in your project folders.

Does indexed code appear in normal search results?

No. Code search keeps a separate index of its own and never shows up in other searches. You must prefix your search with code: to search code repositories.