Choose the public project and the claim
Start with a specific public repository for your own project or an organization you are researching. Copy its full owner and repository name. Write the exact feature statement you need to locate, and distinguish documentation from a test of the implementation.
Use this procedure to find project documentation. Do not search for exposed credentials, private contact information or ways around repository access controls.
Use code-search qualifiers deliberately
GitHub’s code-search documentation explains that a bare term can match either a file path or its contents. repo: limits the search to a full owner/repository name, path: narrows paths and content: requires the term in the file body. Quoted strings can search for exact wording. These rules apply to code search, not automatically to issues or profile search. Source
For an illustrative repository named example-owner/example-project, a query could be:
repo:example-owner/example-project content:"export format"The names and phrase are placeholders, not a real search we performed. Substitute the repository you are authorized to review and the wording relevant to your question. If you know the files are under a documentation path, add a suitable path: restriction; otherwise leave that assumption out.
Interpret the match before quoting it
| Result | What to check | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Matching filename | Whether the phrase occurs in the body | The file supports the statement |
| Documentation passage | Nearby version and feature qualifications | The described feature was tested |
| Example or proposal | Whether it describes planned or illustrative behaviour | The functionality is released |
| Empty result | Repository, query type and restrictions | The claim never existed anywhere |
GitHub documents a sign-in requirement for code search across all public repositories. It also distinguishes a GitHub Pages website from repository source content. Source Record the actual search surface and access limits; do not bypass a sign-in restriction or treat an unsearched website as covered.
Keep the passage tied to a version
Open the file and read the complete relevant section. Attribute a documented claim to the project. Do not execute repository code just to complete this reading task, and do not infer product reliability from stars or account names.
Once the correct passage is located, follow the GitHub permalink guide to retain the inspected version. The AI source-review checklist then helps separate that document’s statement from conclusions the model added.