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Shebe

github.com

Free plan WindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.8 #12 of 42 in Code Search Tools

What it is

Shebe is a local code-search tool that uses BM25 full-text search across code repositories. It ranks results and supports phrase searches, Boolean queries, and literal matching. Fourteen MCP tools serve coding agents with functions including search, repository indexing, file reading, and reference finding. Shebe runs without embeddings, a GPU, or a cloud service, but repositories must be cloned locally before indexing; remote repository URLs are not supported. Its text-based search does not provide semantic similarity, so related words such as “login” and “authenticate” may not match. Prebuilt binaries are listed for Linux x86_64 and macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel; Linux ARM64 is planned. Windows users need to build it from source. The installation guide covers MCP setup and Zed configuration and points to the organization for VS Code and other editor extensions. Shebe is free and licensed under Apache-2.0. The README reports 2 ms query latency and indexing rates from 1,928 to 11,210 files per second in its listed benchmarks.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Shebe is a local code-search tool that uses BM25 full-text search for code repositories.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
The project positions Shebe for developers and AI coding agents working with large codebases and says it complements structural tools such as Serena MCP.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integrations
The installation guide documents MCP setup and a Zed editor configuration, and points to the organization for VS Code and other editor extensions.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security
The README says Shebe runs locally and uses no cloud service; the linked security policy page could not be fetched during this research.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The project provides installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and MCP setup guides in its repository.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
The GitHub organization lists the Shebe repository under the Apache-2.0 license.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Local processing
The project describes Shebe as requiring no embeddings, GPU, or cloud service.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maintainer location
The GitHub organization profile lists the United States of America.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
MCP tools
Shebe provides 14 MCP tools for coding agents, including search, repository indexing, file reading, and reference finding.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Performance
The README reports 2 ms query latency and indexing rates of 1,928 to 11,210 files per second in its listed benchmarks.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Repository requirement
Repositories must be cloned locally before indexing, and the README says remote repository URLs are not supported.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Search
Code search supports ranked results, phrases, Boolean queries, and literal matching.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Search limitation
Shebe does not provide semantic similarity, so a query such as “login” does not match “authenticate.”Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Supported systems
Prebuilt binaries are listed for Linux x86_64 and macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel; Linux ARM64 is listed as planned.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Windows
The installation guide says Windows users need to build Shebe from source.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Local code search · Apache-2.0 licensed Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every Shebe plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Ranked BM25 search with Boolean queries
  • Fourteen MCP tools for coding agents
  • Runs locally without cloud service or GPU
  • Free and Apache-2.0 licensed

Limits

  • Remote repository URLs are unsupported
  • Search does not provide semantic similarity
  • Windows users must build from source
  • Linux ARM64 support is planned

Who it suits

Shebe suits developers and AI coding agents searching large, locally cloned codebases, especially where text matching is useful.

Verdict

Shebe provides local, text-based repository search and MCP tools without a cloud dependency. Its lack of semantic matching and platform-specific installation requirements may shape whether it fits a workflow.

Where Specifiction places it

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