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gf - Grep-like Pattern Manager

gf is a powerful command-line tool written in Rust for managing and using reusable search patterns with grep-like tools. It allows you to save, list, and execute complex search patterns easily, improving your productivity in tasks like code analysis, security auditing, and text processing.

Features

  • Save Search Patterns: Save complex grep patterns with custom flags and reuse them anytime.
  • Pattern Listing: List all saved patterns for easy reference.
  • Customizable Engines: Use different search engines like grep, rg (ripgrep), or ag (The Silver Searcher).
  • Pattern Execution: Execute saved patterns directly on files or piped input.
  • Command Dumping: Print the full command that would be executed without running it.

Installation

Pre-built Binaries

Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page and place the binary in your $PATH.

Build from Source

To build gf from source, ensure you have Rust and Cargo installed.

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Periecle/gf.git
cd gf

# Build the project and install it to PATH
cargo install --path .

Usage

Basic Usage

Save a pattern

gf --save <pattern-name> [--engine <engine>] [flags] <search-pattern>

Use a saved pattern

gf <pattern-name> [file or directory]

List all saved patterns

gf --list

Dump the command that would be executed

gf --dump <pattern-name> [file or directory]

Options

Usage: gf [OPTIONS] [NAME] [ARGS]...

Pattern manager for grep-like tools

Options:
  --save               Save a pattern (e.g., gf --save pat-name -Hnri 'search-pattern')
  --list               List available patterns
  --dump               Print the command rather than executing it
  --engine <ENGINE>    Specify the engine to use (e.g., 'grep', 'rg', 'ag')
  -h, --help           Print help information
  -V, --version        Print version information

Arguments:
  [NAME]         The name of the pattern (when saving or using)
  [ARGS]...      Additional arguments

Examples

Saving and Using a Pattern

Save a pattern named find-todos to search for TODO comments:

gf --save find-todos -nri "TODO"

Use the saved pattern to search in the current directory:

gf find-todos

Saving a Pattern with a Custom Engine

Save a pattern using rg (ripgrep) as the search engine:

gf --save find-errors --engine rg -nri "ERROR"

Use the saved pattern:

gf find-errors /var/log

Listing Saved Patterns

List all saved patterns:

gf --list

Dumping a Command

Dump the command that would be executed for a pattern:

gf --dump find-todos src/

Output:

grep -nri "TODO" src/

Executing a Pattern on Piped Input

Use a pattern with piped input:

cat file.txt | gf find-todos

Saving a Pattern Without Flags

Save a pattern without any flags:

gf --save simple-search "" "pattern-to-search"

Handling Errors

Attempting to use a non-existent pattern:

gf nonexistent-pattern

Output:

Error: No such pattern 'nonexistent-pattern'

Original Work

This tool was originally written by tomnomnom in Go.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

Fork the repository. Create a new branch with your feature or bug fix. Commit your changes with clear and descriptive messages. Push to your branch. Open a pull request on GitHub. Please ensure that your code adheres to the existing style and passes all tests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.