Search Command-Line Tools
16 tools in the Search category: fast file and content search tools. Sorted by GitHub stars; the most starred are sherlock, fzf and ripgrep.
Tools
sherlock
CLI tool that searches for usernames across 400+ social networks and websites
fzf
Command-line fuzzy finder for filtering lists of files, processes, git commits, and other data with fuzzy matching.
ripgrep
Fast line-oriented regex search tool that recursively searches directories with automatic gitignore and binary file filtering
fd
Fast filesystem search tool that replaces find with regex patterns and smart defaults
Maigret
OSINT CLI that searches about 5,900 sites for accounts by username and extracts profile data into reports, with no API keys required.
The Silver Searcher
High-performance code search tool, faster alternative to ack with git ignore support and parallel processing
ast-grep
CLI for structural code search, lint, and rewriting that matches tree-sitter AST nodes using patterns written as ordinary code. Written in Rust.
howdoi
Command-line tool that provides instant coding answers by querying Stack Overflow without opening a browser.
rga
Line-oriented search tool that extends ripgrep to search inside PDFs, archives, documents, and multimedia files
peco
Interactive line filter written in Go that reads stdin, filters incrementally as you type, and prints selected lines to stdout. Single binary, no dependencies.
skim
Fuzzy finder written in Rust with interactive search capabilities and shell integration
television
Fuzzy finder for the terminal that searches files, text, git repositories, and custom data sources in real-time
fselect
File search tool using SQL-like queries to find files with complex conditions and metadata filtering
ddgr
Command line utility to search DuckDuckGo from the terminal with custom result counts and privacy features.
enola
CLI tool for finding social media accounts by username across multiple social networks
docfd
TUI multiline fuzzy search tool for text files, PDFs, DOCXs with text editor integration
Guides
- Modern Replacements for grepCompare ripgrep, The Silver Searcher (ag) and rga as replacements for grep: defaults, file-type handling, and what each searches.
- Swap ls, cat, find and grep for eza, bat, fd and ripgrepInstall eza, bat, fd and ripgrep, learn the side-by-side commands and flag differences, and alias them without breaking your scripts.
- Modern Replacements for findReplace find with fd, bfs or fselect: regex search with smart defaults, a breadth-first drop-in, or SQL-like file queries.
- ripgrep vs The Silver Searcherripgrep vs The Silver Searcher (ag): Rust vs C, ignore-file handling, regex engines, encodings, editor plugins and when to pick each.
- Benchmark shell commands with hyperfineTime shell commands with hyperfine: warmup runs, cache-clearing with --prepare, side-by-side comparisons, parameter scans and Markdown or JSON export.
- Jump between directories with zoxideInstall zoxide, load it in bash, zsh or fish, jump with z and zi, import your autojump or z history, and replace cd with --cmd cd.