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

Factor Effect Use Case

0.3 70% reduction Strong penalty (vendor)

0.5 50% reduction Moderate penalty (tests)

0.7 30% reduction Mild penalty (examples)

1.0 No change Neutral

1.1 10% increase Mild boost (src)

1.2 20% increase Moderate boost (core)

1.5 50% increase Strong boost

Pattern Matching

Patterns match against the full file path:

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

Pattern Types

Pattern Matches Doesn't Match

/tests/

src/tests/auth.go

tests.go

_test.

auth_test.go

test_auth.go

.spec.

auth.spec.ts

spec/auth.ts

/src/

project/src/main.go

resource/file.go

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

Approach Effect Use Case

Ignore Completely excluded Dependencies, build output

Penalty Still searchable, lower rank Tests, docs, examples

Neutral Default ranking Regular source code

Bonus Higher rank Core business logic

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

• Start with penalties: Deprioritize tests/vendor first

• Add bonuses sparingly: Only for truly important paths

• Test with real queries: Verify results make sense

• Don't over-penalize: 0.5 is usually enough for tests

• 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