parallel-edits

Parallel File Edits

Efficiently apply coordinated changes across multiple files by validating all edits first, then executing them in parallel using multiple Edit tool calls.

When to Use

• Renaming variables, functions, or classes across files
• Updating import statements throughout the codebase
• Applying pattern changes or refactoring across multiple files
• Fixing common issues in multiple locations
• Updating configuration or constants in multiple places

Workflow

1. Plan the edits: Identify all files and determine exact old/new string pairs
2. Read all target files: Use multiple Read calls in parallel to fetch and validate content
3. Validate before applying: Check that old_string exists and is unique (or use replace_all)
4. Execute edits in parallel: Make all Edit tool calls in a single response
5. Report results: Confirm successes and report any failures with clear messages

Validation Checklist

Before executing edits, verify:

• All target files have been read and exist
• Each old_string is present in its target file
• old_string is unique OR replace_all will be used
• new_string differs from old_string
• Indentation matches exactly (no line number prefixes)
• File paths are absolute, not relative

Important Guidelines

Indentation Preservation

• When reading files, line numbers appear as: [spaces][number][tab][content]
• The actual file content starts AFTER the tab
• Never include line number prefixes in old_string or new_string
• Preserve exact indentation (tabs/spaces) as it appears in the file

Uniqueness Requirements

• If old_string appears multiple times, provide more context to make it unique
• OR use replace_all: true to change all instances
• The Edit tool will fail if old_string is not unique without replace_all

Parallel Execution

• All Edit calls should be made in the same tool invocation block
• This maximizes efficiency for coordinated changes
• Each edit is independent and does not depend on others

Error Handling

• If validation fails, stop before making any edits
• Report which validation check failed and why
• Suggest corrections or ask for clarification

Examples

Example 1: Renaming a Variable Across Files

User: "Rename the variable userId to accountId across all files in the auth module" Assistant: I will rename userId to accountId across the auth module files.

[Reads: auth/login.ts, auth/session.ts, auth/middleware.ts in parallel] [Validates: Each file contains userId, strings are unique] [Executes: 3 Edit tool calls in parallel with replace_all=true]

Successfully renamed userId to accountId in 3 files:

• /src/auth/login.ts (2 instances)
• /src/auth/session.ts (4 instances)
• /src/auth/middleware.ts (1 instance)

Example 2: Updating Import Statements

User: "Update all imports from @/lib/utils to @/lib/helpers across the components folder"

Assistant: I will update the import paths across all component files.

[Searches: components folder for files importing @/lib/utils] [Reads: 5 component files in parallel] [Validates: Each contains import from @/lib/utils] [Executes: 5 Edit tool calls in parallel]

Successfully updated import paths in 5 files:

• /src/components/Button.tsx
• /src/components/Card.tsx
• /src/components/Modal.tsx
• /src/components/Form.tsx
• /src/components/Table.tsx

Reference

Edit Tool Parameters

Common Patterns

Simple Rename: Grep for occurrences, read all files in parallel, edit all with replace_all=true

Import Update: Grep for old import path, read matching files, edit import lines with exact strings

Surgical Change: Read specific files, include surrounding context for uniqueness, edit with replace_all=false