fzf – Fuzzy Finder

fzf is a general-purpose command-line fuzzy finder. It transforms interactive selection tasks by providing fast, flexible filtering of any list – files, command history, processes, or custom data.

Key Features

• Fuzzy Matching: Find items with partial input
• Universal: Works with any list
• Fast: Written in Go for speed
• Shell Integration: Bash, Zsh, Fish support
• Preview: Show item content while selecting

Installation

Install fzf on Ubuntu:

sudo apt install fzf

# Or with git for full features
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/junegunn/fzf.git ~/.fzf
~/.fzf/install

Usage Examples

Common fzf uses:

# Find and open files
vim $(fzf)

# Search command history
CTRL+R

# Change to directory
cd $(find . -type d | fzf)

# Kill process
kill -9 $(ps aux | fzf | awk '{print $2}')

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

Benefits

fzf accelerates command-line workflows with instant filtering. Its shell integration and versatility make it indispensable for terminal power users.

Download fzf