SeaGOAT
Search code locally by meaning with SeaGOAT, a local-first semantic code search engine.
About SeaGOAT
SeaGOAT is a local-first semantic code search engine that uses vector embeddings to search a codebase by meaning. It runs as a local server for a repository and is queried from the command line with the gt or seagoat command.
It requires Python 3.10 or newer and ripgrep, with bat optional for result display. It supports regular expressions in queries and global or project-specific YAML configuration. An optional generative mode uses a local Ollama server by default; cloud providers are opt-in and send code snippets to a third party. Linux is tested, while macOS is partly tested and Windows support needs help.
Key features
- Semantic code search using vector embeddings
- Query via gt or seagoat command-line commands
- Regular expression support in search queries
- Project and global YAML configuration files
- Optional generative search via local Ollama by default
- Configurable cloud LLM providers with API key env vars
Best for: Developers who want to search local code repositories by meaning from the command line.
Good for
- Local-first search with local Ollama as default generative provider
- Open source code that can be examined
- Designed to run on a standard laptop
Watch out for
- macOS is only partly tested and Windows needs help
- Requires Python 3.10 or newer and ripgrep to install
- Cloud generative options send code snippets to a third party
SeaGOAT at a glance
- Website
- github.com/kantord/SeaGOAT
- Category
- Development › Developer Tools
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Yes · Source code
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Developer Tools
SeaGOAT alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
Search large sets of text with sift, a fast command-line alternative to grep that provides regular expression matching.
Sourcegraph provides code search and context tools for developers working across repositories and large codebases.
Pick
24 alternativesGrit provides declarative code search and transformation through its GritQL language.
Search for code, files, and paths across GitHub repositories with grep.app.
PublicWWW searches HTML, JavaScript, and CSS source across web pages using text snippets, signatures, or keywords.
Jupyter Notebook provides an interactive notebook interface for working with code and documents.
Open source
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SeaGOAT FAQ
What is needed to install SeaGOAT?
Python 3.10 or newer and ripgrep are required. Bat is optional but recommended for displaying results.
How do I search a repository?
Start the server with seagoat-server start /path/to/your/repo, then query with gt or seagoat, for example gt "Where are the numbers rounded". Stop the server with seagoat-server stop /path/to/your/repo.
What happens if I use a cloud generative provider?
Cloud providers send your code snippets to a third party, so they are opt-in. If no provider is configured, SeaGOAT uses a local Ollama server.
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