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Selectors Overview

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Selectors are the composable query grammar for Context Nest. They let you precisely describe which documents you want — by tag, type, status, pack, node id, or any combination.

Quick reference

ctx query "#engineering"                        # By tag (tag:#engineering also works)
ctx query "type:document"                       # By type
ctx query "status:published"                    # By status
ctx query "pack:engineering-essentials"         # By pack
ctx query "nodes/api-design"                    # One document, by node id
ctx query "#api +status:published"              # AND (intersection)
ctx query "#api |#v2"                           # OR (union)
ctx query "#engineering -#deprecated"           # NOT (exclude)
ctx query "(#api |#sdk) +status:published"      # Grouped

Grammar

A selector expression is composed of atoms combined with operators:

  • Atoms — a tag, a type, a status, a pack, a document title ([[Title]]), a scope, or a node id.
  • Operators — + (AND), | (OR), - (NOT).
  • Grouping — parentheses ( ).

The old & operator is not valid. ctx rejects it with INVALID_SELECTOR. There is no path: glob atom, and transport: and server: are not query atoms (they describe how a source node connects, not how you select it).

See Atoms and Operators for the full reference.

Related pages

  • Selector OperatorsOperators combine atoms into compound expressions. Parentheses control evaluation order. Use them whenever you mix operators, rather than relying on…
  • Selector ExamplesReal-world selector patterns for common use cases.
  • Context Nest SpecificationThe Context Nest Specification is the canonical reference for the protocol. It defines the complete format, rules, and behavior that implementations must…
  • Core ConceptsContext Nest is built on a small set of composable concepts. Understanding these gives you the full picture of how vaults work.
  • Selector AtomsAtoms are the building blocks of selector expressions. Each atom matches documents based on a single criterion.

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