# Modern CLI Tools > Use fd, rg, fzf, and bat as modern replacements for find, grep, interactive selection, and cat. Prefer these tools for faster, friendlier, and more ergonomic file searching, content searching, fuzzy filtering, and file viewing. - Skill: `tphummel/modern-cli-tools` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add tphummel/modern-cli-tools` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tphummel/modern-cli-tools/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tphummel (https://skillmd.com/u/tphummel) - Updated: 2026-09-10 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tphummel/modern-cli-tools --- # Modern CLI Tools Use `fd`, `rg`, `fzf`, and `bat` instead of their legacy counterparts. Each is faster, has sensible defaults (respects `.gitignore`, colorizes output, handles Unicode), and has a more consistent interface. | Modern | Replaces | Purpose | |--------|----------|---------| | `fd` | `find` | Find files and directories | | `rg` | `grep -r` | Search file contents | | `fzf` | manual selection | Fuzzy-filter any list interactively | | `bat` | `cat` | View file contents with syntax highlighting | --- ## fd — Find Files **Install**: `brew install fd` / `apt install fd-find` (binary may be `fdfind`) ### Basic Usage ```bash fd PATTERN # find files matching pattern (name search) fd PATTERN PATH # search within a specific directory fd -e py # find by extension fd -t f # files only (-t d = dirs, -t l = symlinks) fd -H # include hidden files fd -I # include files ignored by .gitignore fd -0 # null-delimited output (for xargs -0) ``` ### Common Replacements ```bash # find . -name "*.md" -type f fd -e md # find . -name "*.log" -type f -mtime +7 fd -e log --changed-before 7d # find . -name "*.py" -exec grep -l "import os" {} \; fd -e py -x grep -l "import os" # find . -type d -name __pycache__ fd -t d __pycache__ # find . -maxdepth 2 -name "*.json" fd -e json --max-depth 2 ``` ### Execute Commands on Results ```bash fd -e py -x wc -l # run wc -l on each .py file fd -e log -X rm # delete all .log files (X = batch, x = one-by-one) fd -e html -x sed -i 's/foo/bar/g' ``` --- ## rg — Ripgrep (Search File Contents) **Install**: `brew install ripgrep` / `apt install ripgrep` ### Basic Usage ```bash rg PATTERN # search in current directory recursively rg PATTERN PATH # search in specific path rg -i PATTERN # case-insensitive rg -l PATTERN # list matching files only rg -c PATTERN # count matches per file rg -n PATTERN # show line numbers (on by default) rg -v PATTERN # invert match rg -w PATTERN # whole-word match rg -F PATTERN # fixed string (no regex) rg -U PATTERN # multiline mode ``` ### Filtering by File Type ```bash rg PATTERN -t py # Python files only rg PATTERN -t js -t ts # JS and TS files rg PATTERN -T json # exclude JSON files rg --type-list # list all known types ``` ### Common Replacements ```bash # grep -r "TODO" . --include="*.py" rg "TODO" -t py # grep -rn "def main" src/ rg "def main" src/ # grep -rli "import React" rg -l "import React" # grep -r "password" . --exclude-dir=.git rg "password" # .gitignore respected automatically # grep -rn "^class " --include="*.rb" rg "^class " -t ruby ``` ### Useful Flags ```bash rg PATTERN -A 3 # 3 lines after match rg PATTERN -B 3 # 3 lines before match rg PATTERN -C 3 # 3 lines context (before + after) rg PATTERN --hidden # search hidden files rg PATTERN -g "*.md" # glob filter rg PATTERN -g "!vendor/" # exclude glob rg PATTERN --no-ignore # ignore .gitignore rg PATTERN -j 4 # use 4 threads rg PATTERN -o # print only the matching part rg PATTERN --stats # show search statistics ``` --- ## fzf — Fuzzy Finder **Install**: `brew install fzf` / `apt install fzf` `fzf` reads from stdin and lets the user interactively fuzzy-filter the input. It prints the selected item(s) to stdout, making it composable with any other command. ### Basic Interactive Use ```bash fzf # fuzzy-search stdin, print selection fzf -m # multi-select (Tab to mark, Enter to confirm) fzf -q "initial query" # start with pre-filled search fzf --height 40% # render inline (not full-screen) fzf --reverse # input at top fzf --border # draw border ``` ### Find and Open Files ```bash # interactively select a file and open it $EDITOR $(fzf) # use fd as the source (respects .gitignore, faster) FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd -t f' fzf # preview file contents while browsing fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}' ``` ### Search and Jump ```bash # interactively search git log and show diff git log --oneline | fzf --preview 'git show {1}' # pick a branch to checkout git branch | fzf | xargs git checkout # kill a process interactively ps aux | fzf -m | awk '{print $2}' | xargs kill # cd into a directory chosen interactively cd $(fd -t d | fzf) ``` ### Pipe Integration ```bash # grep through rg results interactively rg --line-number "TODO" | fzf # select from history history | fzf | sh # select multiple files for git add git status -s | fzf -m | awk '{print $2}' | xargs git add ``` ### Shell Integration After `$(brew prefix)/opt/fzf/install` or `fzf --bash`: - `Ctrl-R` — fuzzy search shell history - `Ctrl-T` — fuzzy-insert file path at cursor - `Alt-C` — fuzzy cd into subdirectory --- ## bat — Better cat **Install**: `brew install bat` / `apt install bat` (binary may be `batcat`) ### Basic Usage ```bash bat FILE # view file with syntax highlighting + line numbers bat FILE1 FILE2 # concatenate multiple files bat -n FILE # line numbers only (no other decorations) bat -A FILE # show non-printable characters bat --plain FILE # no decoration (plain output like cat) bat --paging=never FILE # no pager, stream directly bat -l json FILE # force a language for highlighting bat --list-languages # show all supported languages ``` ### Common Replacements ```bash # cat file.py bat file.py # cat -n file.py bat -n file.py # cat *.md | less bat *.md # cat package.json | jq bat --plain package.json | jq # or just: cat package.json | jq ``` ### Use as a Pager or Previewer ```bash # use bat as git's pager for diffs git diff | bat -l diff # use bat in fzf preview (colorized) fzf --preview 'bat --color=always --style=numbers {}' # set as default MANPAGER export MANPAGER="sh -c 'col -bx | bat -l man -p'" ``` ### Useful Flags ```bash bat --style=plain # no line numbers, no git markers, no border bat --style=numbers,grid # pick specific style components bat --color=always # force color even when piped (e.g., into fzf) bat --wrap=never # disable line wrapping bat -r 10:20 FILE # show only lines 10–20 bat --diff FILE # show only changed lines (requires git) ``` --- ## Combined Patterns ### Find → Search → Preview → Edit ```bash # Find Python files with TODO, preview with bat, open selected in editor rg -l "TODO" -t py | fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}' | xargs $EDITOR ``` ### Find Files and View ```bash # Fuzzy-pick a file and view it with bat bat $(fd -t f | fzf) ``` ### Search Log Files ```bash # Tail + fzf filter (static snapshot) rg "ERROR" app.log | fzf ``` ### Batch Rename ```bash # Find and preview files before acting fd -e txt -x bat --style=header {} ``` --- ## Availability Check Before using these tools in scripts, verify they are available: ```bash command -v fd || echo "fd not found: brew install fd" command -v rg || echo "rg not found: brew install ripgrep" command -v fzf || echo "fzf not found: brew install fzf" command -v bat || command -v batcat || echo "bat not found: brew install bat" ``` On Debian/Ubuntu `fd` may be `fdfind` and `bat` may be `batcat`. Check with `which fd fdfind bat batcat`. --- ## When to Stick with Legacy Tools - **`grep`**: When the environment is guaranteed to lack `rg` (e.g., minimal Docker images, POSIX-only scripts). - **`find`**: In portable shell scripts (`/bin/sh`) where `fd` cannot be assumed. - **`cat`**: When piping raw bytes, using `-A` for non-printable inspection already provided by `bat -A`, or in pipelines where adding a pager would break things. - **`less`/`more`**: For arbitrary paging; `bat` uses them internally anyway.