Research
Semantic indexing: giving Navin a memory of your repository
May 18, 2026 · 1 min read · Navin team
How Navin indexes your code locally (grep, LSP, embeddings) to find the right file without uploading the whole repo to the cloud.
An agent that “reads the whole repo” on every message is slow and expensive. Navin combines local search and memory to aim precisely.
Search layers
- grep / ripgrep - exact patterns, ultra-fast, zero tokens.
- LSP & Tree-sitter - code structure, symbols, navigation.
- Local semantic index - meaning similarity when you do not know the exact name.
The cloud is only used for model reasoning - not to host your source code.
Why this matters for quality
Without repository memory, the agent invents paths, ignores conventions and repeats the same loop. With solid indexing, it cites the right files and cuts round-trips.
Privacy by design
Chats, index and memory stay on your machine. The optional navin.live account syncs license and usage - not your codebase.
Tips
- Keep the workspace clean (up-to-date
.gitignore). - Prefer anchored questions (“where is Stripe checkout handled?”) over vague prompts.
- Pair the index with Vision 360 to see graph and tasks live.
Try Navin on your machine
Local agent, cross-platform. Code, debug, scrape, leads, security and review - without leaving Navin.