No search tools in Antigravity 2.0 version 2.17.0

Google Antigravity
1

After upgrading to v2.17.0 agent can’t use any search tools (grep_search, etc), and tries to run using powershell instead (which is not viable alternative because it results ask permission for every search)

Downgrading to v2.15.1 fixes the issue

2

Hi @James_Frowen ,

Thank you for reporting.

In Antigravity 2.0 v2.17.0, grep_search, find_by_name, and list_dir were retired from the default baseline toolset, so the default agent now falls back to running searches in PowerShell. However, those built-in tools are still available in v2.17.0 when explicitly listed in a Custom Agent profile:

  • 1. Re-enable grep_search, find_by_name, and list_dir via a Custom Main Agent: Create %USERPROFILE%\.gemini\config\agents\search-coder.md (global) or <workspace>\.agents\agents\search-coder.md (workspace) with mainAgent: true and list the search tools alongside the default v2.17.0 tools:

name: search-coder
description: Coding agent with built-in grep_search, find_by_name, and list_dir enabled
mainAgent: true
tools:

  • grep_search
  • find_by_name
  • list_dir
  • view_file
  • write_to_file
  • replace_file_content
  • run_command
  • manage_task
  • ask_question
  • read_url_content
  • search_web
  • invoke_subagent
  • define_subagent
  • manage_subagents
  • send_message
  • schedule
  • generate_image

System Prompt

Always use the built-in grep_search, find_by_name, and list_dir tools for file and code searches instead of running PowerShell search commands.

(Note: Specifying tools: replaces the default tool list, so including all 17 valid tool names above keeps your standard editing, command, and subagent tools active when you select search-coder as your primary agent.)

2. Avoid Permission Prompts in PowerShell on the Default Agent (Optional): If you prefer to stay on the default agent profile on Windows, you can either set Terminal Command Auto Execution to Proceed in Sandbox in Agent Settings, or add regex rules such as command(regex:git grep .*), command(regex:rg .*), or command(regex:Select-String .*) to your Permissions Allow list so read-only searches run without prompting.

If issue still persists, please reach out back to us.

3

Thanks for the reply.

I dont think either of these suggestions fix the issue:

- This feels like a huge downgrade using default settings, making antigravity un-useable

- Custom agent (in config/agents) allows the search tool to work again, but overriding the full list of tools is prone to breaking or missing out on new features as they are added

- **SECURITY RISK:** The permission system is not secure or safe to use with regex

This issue exists in both Antigravity 2.0 and Antigravity CLI, is testing permissions using CLI v1.2.11

In antigravity config “command(regex:git grep .*)”,

prompt to antigravity cli:

“”"

I am testing permission system please run these 3 commands, one after the other, and give me a short summary of the result:

`git grep -i “gemini”`

`git grep -i “gemini”; rm test-file-1.txt`

`rm test-file-2.txt`

“”"

result:

“”"

● Bash(git grep -i “gemini”)

● Bash(git grep -i “gemini”; rm test-file-1.txt)

● Bash(rm test-file-2.txt) (ctrl+o to expand)

Command

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Requesting permission for:

rm test-file-2.txt

Run this command?
…
“”"

image
image625×401 8.36 KB

The 2nd command, starting with `git grep` ran both the allowed command, and the chained `rm` command, and deleted the file. Hopefully I dont have to explain why this is dangerous.

I dont understand the reason why search tools have been removed from the default setup, and it was not obvious how to even customize this setup to make antigravity work again. If you only have “Main Agent” the dropdown to change agent is not even visible in Antigravity 2.0.

I really hope this change is reconsidered because a search tool is a core part of an agent harness

4

Adding a custom agent also does not fully fix things, because existing conversations will still be using the default agent.

Antigravity force updated itself to v2.17.0 again, breaking all the current conversations until downgrading version again to v2.15.1

5

It’s genuinely incredible how they can mess up paid product over a BASIC FEATURE OF AGENT SEARCHING FOR WORDS IN CODE BASE. And it’s apparently “nothing serious” since they haven’t released any hotfix.