
Btca Local
- 488 installs
- 1.2k repo stars
- Updated April 12, 2026
- davis7dotsh/better-context
btca-local is a Claude Code skill for the Better Context App that searches locally cloned git repositories so coding agents ground edits, refactors, and answers in the correct files without bloating every prompt.
About
btca-local, also called The Better Context App Local, is a skill-defined app in davis7dotsh/better-context invoked when the user says "use btca." Its workflow searches git repositories already cloned on the developer machine, prioritizing direct GitHub repo links when provided and inferring relevant repos from session context otherwise. Answers must include links and citations explaining what was found, keeping agent responses tied to local source instead of hallucinated structure. Developers reach for btca-local when large monorepos or multi-repo setups need targeted retrieval before refactors, bug fixes, or architecture questions. The skill reduces prompt bloat by fetching only pertinent files from on-disk clones rather than pasting entire trees into context.
- Local repo context indexing
- Targeted file retrieval
- Prompt budget control
- Agent grounding patterns
- Repeatable context workflows
Btca Local by the numbers
- 488 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #1,796 of 16,546 AI & Agent Building skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 2, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
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| Installs | 488 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 1.2k |
| Last updated | April 12, 2026 |
| Repository | davis7dotsh/better-context ↗ |
How do you search local git repos for better agent context?
Improve local codebase context retrieval for coding agents so edits, refactors, and answers stay grounded in the right files without bloating every prompt.
Who is it for?
Developers running coding agents against large local monorepos who need cited, file-grounded context without full-repo prompts.
Skip if: Teams without local repo clones who need live GitHub API search only or static documentation sites with no git checkout.
When should I use this skill?
The user says use btca, asks to search local repos, or needs grounded context from on-disk git clones before editing code.
What you get
Cited file paths, repository links, and retrieved excerpts from locally cloned git repositories.
- cited file references
- retrieved code excerpts
Files
BTCA Local
BTCA Local, aka "The Better Context App Local" is a simple app defined as a skill file. The purpose of this app is to search git repos cloned onto this machine.
the BTCA Search Workflow
<guidelines> <guideline> if the user includes a direct like to a github repo, always load and reference that </guideline> <guideline> if the user doesn't include any specific links/repos they want you to use, do your best to guess based on the context provided </guideline> <guideline> always include links/citations in your answers explaining what you found </guideline> <guideline> include very clear and complete code snippets. don't leave out stuff like imports, that's important context </guideline> <guideline> when answering use lots of bulleted/numbered lists to keep things readable and clear </guideline> </guidelines>
<workflow> <step name="work dir setup"> use ~/.btca/agent/sandbox as the place where you clone/search repos </step> <step name="load"> if the repo(s) are already in the work dir ~/.btca/agent/sandbox update them, otherwise clone them. clone the main branch by default, unless the user asks for something else </step> <step name="search"> search the repo for the information you need. make sure to follow the guidelines </step> <workflow>
<end_goal> a clear, concise answer to the question with code examples </end_goal>
Startup Cases:
This skill can be invoked in a couple different ways, and your behavior should reflect that:
user invoked without extra context/question
this is the "app startup" state, almost as if a terminal app was booted up.
Your job is to search the working directory ~/.btca/agent/sandbox at the top level, just to get a list of all the repos that have been previously cloned
Then you should simply output the following markdown (filling in the existing repos):
# BTCA Local
_use your coding agent to search any git repo locally_
Previously searched:
- repo 1
- ...
Give me a question and the link to a git repo to get started!
(we can also clean out or pre-load some resources to this list...)you invoked because of user's prompt
in this case, your job is to answer/execute the users prompt faithfully, just while also using the btca search workflow when needed to better execute your task
user invoked while also giving a prompt/questions
this one's simple, simply answer the users prompt with the btca search workflow
Related skills
How it compares
Pick btca-local for cited search across on-disk clones; use remote codebase MCP tools when no local checkout exists.
FAQ
When should developers invoke btca-local?
Developers invoke btca-local when the user says "use btca" or needs searches across git repositories cloned locally. The Better Context App Local skill targets grounded retrieval before edits, refactors, or architecture answers.
Does btca-local require GitHub links?
btca-local always loads and references a direct GitHub repo link when the user provides one. Without explicit links, the skill infers relevant local clones from session context and must cite what it finds.