In short:
ak-scoutsearches your repo and returns a list of relevant files, each with one line on what it does, plus the questions it could not answer. Ask for a single name and it returns the path right away; the usual next step isak-fix. It only searches and reads, it does not change code.
Disclosure: I maintain AgentKit and have an affiliate relationship with it: the AgentKit link in this post is an affiliate link; buying through it gets you 30% off.
Summary
Use it when you are about to change something but do not know where the code lives. It does not replace debugging: scout only narrows down the files, and proving the cause and fixing it is the job of ak-debug and ak-fix.
flowchart LR
A["Do not know where the code is"] --> B["ak-scout"]
B --> C["File list + open questions"]
C --> D["ak-fix"]
C --> E["ak-debug or ak-brainstorm"]
C --> F["Stop, only needed the location"]It picks a search path based on what you ask:
| Path | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fast path | You only need where one thing lives? | "Where is calculateShippingFee?" returns a checked path and the file's role |
| Split scopes | The work spans several independent areas of the repo? | src/payments/, src/api/, tests/, config/: one scope per area |
ext | Local search is not enough and you allow an external tool? | /ak-scout ext DB migrations and schema runs a few read-only opencode run commands |
| Report | What do you get when it searches several areas? | A "Relevant Files" section and an "Unresolved Questions" section |
It only hands work to subagents when you explicitly allow parallel runs. Without that permission, the main agent searches each area itself: same result, just slower. --ultra has no fallback: if the runtime cannot run in parallel, it stops.
Sample prompt for preparing a bug fix:
/ak-scout Bug: uploading a profile picture on <app name> reports success but the picture does not change.
Find the upload code, the image processing and where the picture URL is stored.| Flag | What it is for | Since ak |
|---|---|---|
--ultra | 5 independent scout passes, merges the checked results | 2.13.0 |
Below is the detailed version: the run flow, 5 situations with prompts, the --ultra flag explained (when to use it, when you do not need it, what you get), the change history by ak release, and common pitfalls. The detailed version and the interactive page are for subscribers. Your agent can also search them through the portal's MCP.
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Use this piece in your agent
Get an API keyCopy the text below and paste it into Claude Code, Codex or whichever agent you use. The agent reads the piece and checks it against the repo you have open.
Read "ak-scout: find the files you need to touch in a codebase" on modernEngineer and apply it to this repo.
1. Call the content_get tool of the modernengineer MCP server with locale "en", slug "ak-scout". If the modernengineer MCP server is not connected, stop and walk me through connecting it from https://modernengineer.dev/en/mcp.
2. Summarize the main steps of the piece and point out which apply to this repo.
3. Propose concrete changes and ask me before editing any file.Connect MCP in Claude Code (once)
claude mcp add --transport http modernengineer \
https://api.modernengineer.dev/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <API key>"Reading the full piece over MCP needs an API key from a subscriber account or one that bought this guide. Without access, the agent only gets the opening.
- Version
- v1.0.0
- Updated
- 22/10/2026
- Licence
- All rights reserved
- Slug
- ak-scout
