feat(core): rename search_file_content tool to grep_search and add legacy alias

docs/core/subagents.md

@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ description: Specialized in finding security vulnerabilities in code.
 kind: local
 tools:
   - read_file
-  - search_file_content
+  - grep_search
 model: gemini-2.5-pro
 temperature: 0.2
 max_turns: 10

docs/tools/file-system.md

@@ -117,14 +117,13 @@ directories) will be created.
   `Found 5 file(s) matching "*.ts" within src, sorted by modification time (newest first):\nsrc/file1.ts\nsrc/subdir/file2.ts...`
 - **Confirmation:** No.
 
-## 5. `search_file_content` (SearchText)
+## 5. `grep_search` (SearchText)
 
-`search_file_content` searches for a regular expression pattern within the
-content of files in a specified directory. Can filter files by a glob pattern.
-Returns the lines containing matches, along with their file paths and line
-numbers.
+`grep_search` searches for a regular expression pattern within the content of
+files in a specified directory. Can filter files by a glob pattern. Returns the
+lines containing matches, along with their file paths and line numbers.
 
-- **Tool name:** `search_file_content`
+- **Tool name:** `grep_search`
 - **Display name:** SearchText
 - **File:** `grep.ts`
 - **Parameters:**

packages/core/src/core/prompts.test.ts

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import { ApprovalMode } from '../policy/types.js';
 vi.mock('../tools/ls', () => ({ LSTool: { Name: 'list_directory' } }));
 vi.mock('../tools/edit', () => ({ EditTool: { Name: 'replace' } }));
 vi.mock('../tools/glob', () => ({ GlobTool: { Name: 'glob' } }));
-vi.mock('../tools/grep', () => ({ GrepTool: { Name: 'search_file_content' } }));
+vi.mock('../tools/grep', () => ({ GrepTool: { Name: 'grep_search' } }));
 vi.mock('../tools/read-file', () => ({ ReadFileTool: { Name: 'read_file' } }));
 vi.mock('../tools/read-many-files', () => ({
   ReadManyFilesTool: { Name: 'read_many_files' },
@@ -241,14 +241,14 @@ describe('Core System Prompt (prompts.ts)', () => {
         );
         expect(prompt).toContain(`do not ignore the output of the agent`);
         expect(prompt).not.toContain(
-          "Use 'search_file_content' and 'glob' search tools extensively",
+          "Use 'grep_search' and 'glob' search tools extensively",
         );
       } else {
         expect(prompt).not.toContain(
           `your **first and primary action** must be to delegate to the '${CodebaseInvestigatorAgent.name}' agent`,
         );
         expect(prompt).toContain(
-          "Use 'search_file_content' and 'glob' search tools extensively",
+          "Use 'grep_search' and 'glob' search tools extensively",
         );
       }
       expect(prompt).toMatchSnapshot();
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ describe('Core System Prompt (prompts.ts)', () => {
       // Should NOT include disabled tools
       expect(prompt).not.toContain('`google_web_search`');
       expect(prompt).not.toContain('`list_directory`');
-      expect(prompt).not.toContain('`search_file_content`');
+      expect(prompt).not.toContain('`grep_search`');
     });
   });
 

packages/core/src/policy/policies/plan.toml

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ priority = 50
 modes = ["plan"]
 
 [[rule]]
-toolName = "search_file_content"
+toolName = "grep_search"
 decision = "allow"
 priority = 50
 modes = ["plan"]

packages/core/src/policy/policies/read-only.toml

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ decision = "allow"
 priority = 50
 
 [[rule]]
-toolName = "search_file_content"
+toolName = "grep_search"
 decision = "allow"
 priority = 50
 

packages/core/src/tools/constants.ts

@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
  * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
-export const DEFAULT_TOTAL_MAX_MATCHES = 20000;
+export const DEFAULT_TOTAL_MAX_MATCHES = 100;
 export const DEFAULT_SEARCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 30000;

packages/core/src/tools/grep.ts

@@ -263,7 +263,13 @@ class GrepToolInvocation extends BaseToolInvocation<
       const matchCount = allMatches.length;
       const matchTerm = matchCount === 1 ? 'match' : 'matches';
 
-      let llmContent = `Found ${matchCount} ${matchTerm} for pattern "${this.params.pattern}" ${searchLocationDescription}${this.params.include ? ` (filter: "${this.params.include}")` : ''}${wasTruncated ? ` (results limited to ${totalMaxMatches} matches for performance)` : ''}:\n---\n`;
+      let llmContent = `Found ${matchCount} ${matchTerm} for pattern "${this.params.pattern}" ${searchLocationDescription}${this.params.include ? ` (filter: "${this.params.include}")` : ''}`;
+
+      if (wasTruncated) {
+        llmContent += ` (results limited to ${totalMaxMatches} matches for performance)`;
+      }
+
+      llmContent += `:\n---\n`;
 
       for (const filePath in matchesByFile) {
         llmContent += `File: ${filePath}
@@ -570,7 +576,7 @@ export class GrepTool extends BaseDeclarativeTool<GrepToolParams, ToolResult> {
     super(
       GrepTool.Name,
       'SearchText',
-      'Searches for a regular expression pattern within the content of files in a specified directory (or current working directory). Can filter files by a glob pattern. Returns the lines containing matches, along with their file paths and line numbers.',
+      'Searches for a regular expression pattern within file contents. Max 100 matches.',
       Kind.Search,
       {
         properties: {

packages/core/src/tools/ripGrep.ts

@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ export class RipGrepTool extends BaseDeclarativeTool<
     super(
       RipGrepTool.Name,
       'SearchText',
-      'FAST, optimized search powered by `ripgrep`. PREFERRED over standard `run_shell_command("grep ...")` due to better performance and automatic output limiting (max 20k matches).',
+      'Searches for a regular expression pattern within file contents. Max 100 matches.',
       Kind.Search,
       {
         properties: {

packages/core/src/tools/tool-names.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export const WEB_SEARCH_TOOL_NAME = 'google_web_search';
 export const WEB_FETCH_TOOL_NAME = 'web_fetch';
 export const EDIT_TOOL_NAME = 'replace';
 export const SHELL_TOOL_NAME = 'run_shell_command';
-export const GREP_TOOL_NAME = 'search_file_content';
+export const GREP_TOOL_NAME = 'grep_search';
 export const READ_MANY_FILES_TOOL_NAME = 'read_many_files';
 export const READ_FILE_TOOL_NAME = 'read_file';
 export const LS_TOOL_NAME = 'list_directory';
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export const ASK_USER_DISPLAY_NAME = 'Ask User';
  */
 export const TOOL_LEGACY_ALIASES: Record<string, string> = {
   // Add future renames here, e.g.:
-  // 'search_file_content': GREP_TOOL_NAME,
+  search_file_content: GREP_TOOL_NAME,
 };
 
 /**