Modern Replacements¶

Better alternatives to classic Unix tools. These tools offer improved ergonomics, performance, and features while remaining compatible with their predecessors.

Installation¶

macOS (Homebrew)¶

brew install eza bat ripgrep fd fzf zoxide btop

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)¶

# Available via apt
sudo apt install bat ripgrep fd-find fzf

# May need cargo or other methods
cargo install eza
sudo snap install btop

eza (formerly exa) - Better ls¶

Modern replacement for ls with colors, icons, and git integration.

Installation¶

brew install eza

Basic Usage¶

eza                               # List files
eza -l                            # Long format
eza -la                           # Long + hidden
eza -lh                           # Long + header
eza --icons                       # With icons
eza --tree                        # Tree view
eza --git                         # Git status

Useful Options¶

eza -l --no-permissions           # Hide permissions
eza -l --no-user                  # Hide user/group
eza -l --time-style=long-iso      # ISO timestamps
eza -la --group-directories-first # Dirs first
eza -l --sort=modified            # Sort by time
eza -l --sort=size                # Sort by size
eza --tree --level=2              # Tree depth 2

Recommended Aliases¶

alias ls='eza'
alias ll='eza -l --icons'
alias la='eza -la --icons'
alias lt='eza -la --sort=modified'
alias tree='eza --tree --icons'

Git Integration¶

eza -l --git                      # Shows git status per file

Output symbols:

Symbol	Meaning
`N`	New (untracked)
`M`	Modified
`-`	Unmodified
`I`	Ignored

bat - Better cat¶

Syntax highlighting, git integration, and automatic paging.

Installation¶

brew install bat

Basic Usage¶

bat file.py                       # View with highlighting
bat -n file.py                    # Line numbers only
bat -p file.py                    # Plain (no decorations)
bat -A file.py                    # Show non-printable chars
bat --diff file.py                # Show git changes
bat -l python script              # Force language
bat file1.py file2.py             # Multiple files

Options¶

bat --style=numbers               # Only line numbers
bat --style=plain                 # No decorations
bat --style=full                  # Everything
bat --theme=gruvbox-dark          # Change theme
bat --list-themes                 # Show themes
bat --list-languages              # Supported languages

Integration¶

# As pager for man
export MANPAGER="sh -c 'col -bx | bat -l man -p'"

# Preview for fzf
fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}'

# With git
git diff | bat
git show HEAD:file.py | bat -l python

Recommended Aliases¶

alias cat='bat -pp'               # Plain, no pager
alias catn='bat -n'               # With line numbers

ripgrep (rg) - Better grep¶

Extremely fast recursive search that respects .gitignore.

Installation¶

brew install ripgrep

Basic Usage¶

rg pattern                        # Search current dir
rg pattern file.txt               # Search specific file
rg pattern dir/                   # Search directory
rg -i pattern                     # Case insensitive
rg -w pattern                     # Whole word
rg -F "literal"                   # Fixed string (no regex)

Output Control¶

rg -n pattern                     # Line numbers (default)
rg -l pattern                     # Files only
rg -c pattern                     # Count per file
rg -o pattern                     # Only matching text
rg -C 2 pattern                   # 2 lines context
rg --no-heading pattern           # grep-style output

Filtering¶

rg -t py pattern                  # Python files only
rg -T js pattern                  # Exclude JavaScript
rg -g "*.py" pattern              # Glob pattern
rg -g "!test_*" pattern           # Exclude pattern
rg --hidden pattern               # Include hidden files
rg -u pattern                     # Unrestricted (include ignored)
rg -uu pattern                    # Include hidden + ignored

Advanced¶

rg -e "pat1" -e "pat2"            # Multiple patterns
rg "pattern" --replace "new"      # Show replacements
rg -U "multi\nline"               # Multiline mode
rg -P "(?<=prefix)\w+"            # PCRE2 regex
rg --stats pattern                # Show statistics

Practical Examples¶

# Find TODOs
rg "TODO|FIXME" -t py

# Find function definitions
rg "def \w+\(" -t py

# Count matches
rg -c "import" --type py | sort -t: -k2 -rn

# Find and replace preview
rg "old_name" --replace "new_name"

Recommended Alias¶

alias grep='rg'

fd - Better find¶

See Finding Files for detailed coverage.

Quick reference:

fd pattern                        # Find by name
fd -e py                          # By extension
fd -t f                           # Files only
fd -t d                           # Directories only
fd -H                             # Include hidden
fd -x cmd                         # Execute command

fzf - Fuzzy Finder¶

Interactive fuzzy finding for files, history, and more.

Installation¶

brew install fzf
# Install keybindings
$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install

Basic Usage¶

fzf                               # Find files
cmd | fzf                         # Filter any list
fzf --preview 'cat {}'            # With preview
fzf -m                            # Multi-select

Keybindings (after install)¶

Key	Action
`Ctrl+T`	Fuzzy find files
`Ctrl+R`	Fuzzy search history
`Alt+C`	Fuzzy cd to directory

Integration Examples¶

# Open file in editor
vim $(fzf)

# Kill process
kill $(ps aux | fzf | awk '{print $2}')

# Git checkout branch
git checkout $(git branch | fzf)

# SSH to host
ssh $(grep "Host " ~/.ssh/config | awk '{print $2}' | fzf)

Preview Options¶

fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}'
fzf --preview 'head -50 {}'
fzf --preview-window=right:50%

Custom Commands¶

# Find and edit
fe() {
    local file
    file=$(fd -t f | fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}')
    [[ -n "$file" ]] && ${EDITOR:-vim} "$file"
}

# Find directory and cd
fcd() {
    local dir
    dir=$(fd -t d | fzf --preview 'eza --tree {}')
    [[ -n "$dir" ]] && cd "$dir"
}

# Git log browser
fgl() {
    git log --oneline | fzf --preview 'git show {1}'
}

zoxide - Smarter cd¶

Jump to frequently used directories.

Installation¶

brew install zoxide

Setup¶

Add to .bashrc:

eval "$(zoxide init bash)"

Usage¶

z pattern                         # Jump to best match
z foo bar                         # Multiple patterns
zi                                # Interactive with fzf
z -                               # Previous directory

How It Works¶

Zoxide learns from your cd usage and ranks directories by "frecency" (frequency + recency).

# After visiting ~/projects/myapp several times
z myapp                           # Jumps to ~/projects/myapp
z proj app                        # Also works

Commands¶

zoxide query pattern              # Show best match
zoxide query -l                   # List all ranked dirs
zoxide add /path                  # Manually add
zoxide remove /path               # Remove from database

btop - Better top¶

Beautiful, feature-rich system monitor.

Installation¶

brew install btop

Features¶

CPU, memory, disk, network graphs
Per-core CPU usage
Process tree view
Mouse support
Customizable themes

Keybindings¶

Key	Action
`m`	Toggle memory display
`n`	Toggle network display
`d`	Toggle disk display
`p`	Toggle process display
`t`	Toggle tree view
`k`	Kill selected process
`f`	Filter processes
`q`	Quit

delta - Better git diff¶

Syntax highlighting for git diffs.

Installation¶

brew install git-delta

Setup¶

Add to ~/.gitconfig:

[core]
    pager = delta

[interactive]
    diffFilter = delta --color-only

[delta]
    navigate = true
    light = false
    line-numbers = true

Features¶

Syntax highlighting
Line numbers
Side-by-side view
Word-level diff highlighting

Comparison Table¶

Classic	Modern	Key Benefits
`ls`	`eza`	Icons, git, colors
`cat`	`bat`	Syntax highlighting, git
`grep`	`ripgrep`	Speed, .gitignore
`find`	`fd`	Simpler syntax, speed
`top`	`btop`	Beautiful UI
`cd`	`zoxide`	Frecency-based jumping
-	`fzf`	Interactive filtering
`diff`	`delta`	Syntax-highlighted diffs

Recommended Setup¶

Add to ~/.bashrc:

# Modern tool aliases (if installed)
command -v eza &>/dev/null && alias ls='eza --icons'
command -v bat &>/dev/null && alias cat='bat -pp'
command -v rg &>/dev/null && alias grep='rg'
command -v fd &>/dev/null && alias find='fd'
command -v btop &>/dev/null && alias top='btop'

# Extended aliases
if command -v eza &>/dev/null; then
    alias ll='eza -l --icons'
    alias la='eza -la --icons'
    alias lt='eza -la --sort=modified'
    alias tree='eza --tree --icons'
fi

# Initialize zoxide
command -v zoxide &>/dev/null && eval "$(zoxide init bash)"

# fzf configuration
export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_CTRL_T_COMMAND="$FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND"
export FZF_ALT_C_COMMAND='fd --type d --hidden --follow --exclude .git'

Try It¶

eza:
```
eza -la --icons
eza --tree --level=2
```

bat:

bat --list-themes | head
echo 'print("Hello")' | bat -l python

ripgrep:

rg --stats "pattern" 2>/dev/null || echo "Install ripgrep"

fzf:
```
echo -e "one\ntwo\nthree" | fzf
```

These modern tools significantly improve the command-line experience while maintaining compatibility with their classic counterparts.