About ripgrep
ripgrep, run as rg, is a command line tool that searches files for a regular expression. It is built for speed and sensible defaults in source code projects.
What it does
It walks a directory tree and searches each file for the pattern you give. By default it respects gitignore rules and skips hidden and binary files, so results focus on your source code. Filters can be turned off with flags when you need every match.
Key features
- Recursive search of directories for a regex
- Skips gitignore entries, hidden files and binary files
- Fast search across large codebases
- Flags to turn off the default filters
- Prebuilt binaries for Windows, macOS and Linux
Who it's for
Software developers who search large codebases often, and anyone who needs quick text searches from the terminal. Some code editors use ripgrep behind their search features.
Pricing and good to know
ripgrep is free and open source, dual-licensed under the Unlicense and MIT. Binary downloads are published with each release, and it is also available through common package managers. It is a command line utility with no graphical interface, so it works best for people comfortable with terminal workflows.
Highlights
- Recursive search of directories for a regex
- Skips gitignore entries, hidden files and binary files
- Fast search across large codebases
- Flags to turn off the default filters
- Prebuilt binaries for Windows, macOS and Linux
