Cursor AI global code base query

In large projects or complex code bases, developers often need to find code across files, analyze dependencies, or understand project architecture. Cursor AI provides Global Codebase Queries functionality, allowing developers to directly ask the AI ​​for questions about the entire codebase without being limited to the current file.

This guide will provide you with the Cursor AI global codebase query feature to help you quickly understand the codebase.

What is a global codebase query?

Cursor AI allows developers to ask AIs for code-related questions across the entire project, without being limited to the current file. This means you can:

• Find the location of a specific function, class, or variable in the entire code base

• Analyze code dependencies, such as "Where is this function called?"

• Understand project architecture, such as “How does this project handle user authentication?”

• Quickly search for bug-related code, such as "Where are known error functions used?"

This feature greatly reduces the time for developers to manually search for code, allowing AI as an intelligent assistant to help you find answers quickly.

How to use global codebase query?

Cursor AI provides a variety of ways to query global code, including chat interfaces and shortcut commands in the editor .

✅Method 1: Query the code library in the chat window

You can enter the question directly in the Cursor AI chat window, and the AI ​​will automatically search the entire code base and give the answer.

Example 1: Find the definition of a function

Developer : Where is the calculated_discount function defined?
Cursor AI : The calculate_discount function is defined on line 78 of pricing.js. Here is the code:

 javascript copy editing function calculate_discount(price, discountRate) { return price * (1 - discountRate);
}

Example 2: Find the call location of a class

Developer : In which files does the UserAuth class have been called?
Cursor AI : UserAuth is called in the following file:

• auth/login.js (line 34)

• auth/register.js (line 21)

• middleware/auth.js (line 89)

✅Method 2: Use @Codebase for accurate search

You can use @Codebase in chat to let the AI ​​search the code base. For example:

Developer : @Codebase How does this project handle error logs?
Cursor AI : This project uses Logger.js for logging, and all error logs are written to the logs/error.log file. For example:

 javascript copy editing const Logger = require('./Logger');Logger.error('An unexpected error occurred', error);

✅Method 3: Use Ctrl+Enter for global search

In the Cursor AI chat window, press Ctrl+Enter and you can query the entire code base, not limited to the current file.

Developer : (Press Ctrl+Enter) Which files use the fetchData function?
Cursor AI : The following files use fetchData:

• api/request.js

• services/dataService.js

• components/DataTable.js

Example of usage

Find a function in the project that calculates the application navigation direction. Using Cursor, I can find it very simply by describing the function's function:

Note that we use the codebase option in this case. Although for some reason Cursor doesn't show the actual code, clicking the code box still opens the correct file and scrolls to the function I'm looking for:

Why is the global codebase query function important?

Reduce the time to search code manually without having to manually open multiple files to find functions or classes

Improve code readability and quickly understand project architecture and code relationships

Assist in debugging, quickly locate bug-related codes, and improve repair efficiency

Improve teamwork so new members can quickly understand projects without manually reading all documents