| name | deepwiki-search |
| description | Use when searching for codebase architecture, structure, or documentation of open-source GitHub repositories via DeepWiki. Triggers when user asks to understand a repo's architecture, internals, codebase structure, or how a specific subsystem works in an open-source project. |
DeepWiki Codebase Search
Fetch AI-generated codebase documentation from DeepWiki for GitHub repositories.
What is DeepWiki?
DeepWiki provides AI-generated architectural documentation for GitHub repositories. It analyzes codebases and produces structured wiki-style pages covering architecture, subsystems, source file mappings, and dependency relationships — with Mermaid diagrams and source references.
URL Patterns
Repository Index (Table of Contents)
https://deepwiki.com/{owner}/{repo}
Example: https://deepwiki.com/microsoft/vscode
Specific Topic Page
https://deepwiki.com/{owner}/{repo}/{number}-{topic-name}
Examples:
https://deepwiki.com/microsoft/vscode/1-vs-code-codebase-overview
https://deepwiki.com/microsoft/vscode/3-extension-system
https://deepwiki.com/microsoft/vscode/1.1-application-startup-and-process-architecture
Topics use a numerical taxonomy: 1, 1.1, 2, 3.2, etc.
Search Strategy
Step 1: Fetch the Repository Index
Fetch the repo's DeepWiki index page to get the table of contents:
https://deepwiki.com/{owner}/{repo}
Use WebFetch with a prompt like:
"List all available topic pages with their URLs and brief descriptions. Show the full table of contents."
Step 2: Identify Relevant Topics
From the table of contents, identify which topic pages are relevant to the user's question. Topics are organized hierarchically:
- Top-level sections (1, 2, 3, ...) cover major subsystems
- Sub-sections (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, ...) cover specific aspects
Step 3: Fetch Specific Topic Pages
Fetch the relevant topic pages using WebFetch:
https://deepwiki.com/{owner}/{repo}/{number}-{topic-name}
Use targeted prompts to extract the information the user needs:
- Architecture: "Describe the architecture, process model, and key components"
- Source mapping: "List the key source files and their responsibilities"
- Data flow: "Explain how data flows between components"
- APIs: "Describe the public API surface and extension points"
Step 4: Deep Dive (if needed)
For sub-topics, fetch the detailed pages:
https://deepwiki.com/{owner}/{repo}/{N.M}-{subtopic-name}
Output Format
## DeepWiki: [owner/repo] — [Topic]
**Source:** [DeepWiki page URL]
### Architecture Overview
[Key architectural insights from the wiki]
### Key Components
| Component | Source Path | Responsibility |
|-----------|-----------|----------------|
| [Name] | `src/path/file.ts` | [What it does] |
### Key Insights
- [Important architectural decisions]
- [Dependencies and relationships]
- [Patterns used]
### Related Topics
- [Link to related DeepWiki pages for further reading]
Tips
- Start with the index page — always fetch the TOC first to understand what's available
- Not all repos are indexed — DeepWiki primarily covers popular open-source repos (high star count)
- Combine with GitHub search — use DeepWiki for architecture understanding, GitHub for actual code
- Use specific prompts — DeepWiki pages can be long; ask WebFetch for exactly what you need
- Check sub-pages — top-level pages give overviews; sub-pages (N.M) have implementation details
Common Mistakes
- Guessing topic URLs without checking the index first — always fetch the TOC
- Trying to fetch private or low-popularity repos — DeepWiki may not have them indexed
- Fetching only the overview page — sub-topic pages contain the real architectural depth