# search_code

Fast and precise code search across ALL GitHub repositories using GitHub's native search engine. Best for finding exact symbols, functions, classes, or specific code patterns.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `search_code`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/github/search-code

## Facts

- Tool: `search_code`
- Server: GitHub (`oci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/github.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/github/github-mcp-server
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade D, identity verified
- Server auth posture: gated
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 5
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `page` | number | no | Page number for pagination (min 1) |
| `sort` | string | no | Sort field ('indexed' only) |
| `order` | string | no | Sort order for results |
| `query` | string | no | Search query using GitHub's powerful code search syntax. Examples: 'content:Skill language:Java org:github', 'NOT is:archived language:Python OR language:go', ' |
| `perPage` | number | no | Results per page for pagination (min 1, max 100) |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "search_code",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why search_code is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries publicly accessible code data from GitHub repositories without side effects. It does not create, modify, delete, execute, or move money. While it searches across all repositories (broad scope), the impact of a misused search is informational only—no resources are altered or harmed.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states it performs 'code search across ALL GitHub repositories' - a retrieval operation with no modification, deletion, or execution capability."

Risk signals: Accepts freeform code/query input (query)

## Use case

AI agents call search_code to retrieve information from GitHub without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches GitHub:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "search_code": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on GitHub (85)

- `delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/delete-file.md
- `projects_write` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/projects-write.md
- `actions_run_trigger` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/actions-run-trigger.md
- `assign_copilot_to_issue` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/assign-copilot-to-issue.md
- `actions_get` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/actions-get.md
- `actions_list` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/actions-list.md
- `get_code_scanning_alert` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-code-scanning-alert.md
- `get_commit` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-commit.md
- `get_copilot_job_status` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-copilot-job-status.md
- `get_copilot_space` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-copilot-space.md
- `get_dependabot_alert` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-dependabot-alert.md
- `get_discussion` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-discussion.md
- `get_discussion_comments` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-discussion-comments.md
- `get_file_contents` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-file-contents.md
- `get_gist` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-gist.md
- `get_global_security_advisory` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-global-security-advisory.md
- `get_job_logs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-job-logs.md
- `get_label` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-label.md
- `get_latest_release` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-latest-release.md
- `get_me` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-me.md
- `get_notification_details` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-notification-details.md
- `get_release_by_tag` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-release-by-tag.md
- `get_repository_tree` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-repository-tree.md
- `get_secret_scanning_alert` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-secret-scanning-alert.md
- `get_tag` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-tag.md
- `get_team_members` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-team-members.md
- `get_teams` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/get-teams.md
- `github_support_docs_search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/github-support-docs-search.md
- `issue_read` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/issue-read.md
- `list_branches` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/github/list-branches.md
- …and 55 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/github.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=github · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/github