Features · View as Markdown

Project-wide search

Searching a project ⋅ Search root ⋅ Finding code ⋅ Searching outside projects

Search across files and folders without leaving the editor. Peeknext includes project-wide text search powered by ripgrep.

Searches run recursively from the current folder root, with results updating as you type. Find function declarations, identifiers, references, or any other text across an entire project, then jump directly to the matching location.

Searching a project

Action Description
⌘⇧F Open project-wide search.

Start typing to search across files under the current root. Results update incrementally as the query changes, without requiring a separate search command.

Each result displays the matching line, file name, and location. Select a result to open the file in a new tab, automatically scrolling to and highlighting the matching text.

This makes project-wide search useful for both finding text and navigating between files.

Search root

Project-wide search uses the same folder root as the File Explorer.

Open or drop a folder into a Peeknext window to set its root. Searches then run recursively through that folder and its subdirectories.

Each window maintains its own root, so different windows can search different projects or directories independently. If no folder has been opened, Peeknext uses the default root, ~/Desktop.

This means you can also search ordinary folders without creating a project or workspace first.

Configuration

The default File Explorer root and excluded file types can be configured in the [editor] section:


[editor]

file_explorer_root          /Users/michael/Desktop/peeknext
file_types_to_exclude       .dmg, .app, .git, .ttf, .dylib, .so, .venv, .pyc, .zip, .egg, .DS_Store
  • file_explorer_root sets the initial folder used by the File Explorer and project-wide search.
  • file_types_to_exclude specifies file extensions and directories to exclude from the File Explorer and search results.

You can change the root at any time by opening another folder in the window.

Finding code

Project-wide search is particularly useful when navigating unfamiliar or large codebases. For example, you can:

  • Find function or class declarations across a project.
  • Locate references to identifiers or variables.
  • Search configuration files across nested directories.
  • Find text without knowing which file contains it.
  • Jump directly to matching lines in other files.

Because searches are scoped to the current window's folder root, results stay relevant to the files you're working with.

Searching outside projects

Peeknext does not require a formal project structure. You can use project-wide search to find text across ordinary directories, including folders on your Desktop.

Open a folder to search within it, or use the default root to search more broadly.

Combined with the File Explorer, this provides a way to navigate files by their contents rather than only their directory structure.

All features

Read more →