The classic Unix commands - cat, grep, ls, cd - were designed decades ago. They work, but they're showing their age: no syntax highlighting, slow searches, ugly output, no smart navigation. Modern CLI tools built in Rust replace them with faster, prettier, and smarter alternatives.
Rust-Powered Speed
bat, ripgrep, eza, and zoxide are written in Rust - they're faster than your old tools and come with modern features like syntax highlighting and smart defaults.
Old vs New: Side by Side
See the difference between classic Unix commands and their modern replacements:
Classic commands (left) vs modern replacements (right) - syntax highlighting, icons, and human-readable output
Key Features
bat
cat with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and git integration. Makes reading code beautiful.
ripgrep
grep but 10x faster. Respects .gitignore, searches recursively by default, smart case sensitivity.
eza
ls with icons, colors, tree view, and git status. Makes directory listings beautiful and informative.
zoxide
cd that learns your habits. Jump to any directory with just a few characters. No more typing long paths.
Practical Examples
Here's how to use each tool and set them up as replacements:
bat - Better cat
# Install
brew install bat # macOS
apt install bat # Ubuntu (may be 'batcat')
# Usage - syntax highlighting for any file
bat README.md
bat src/app.tsx
# Show line numbers and git changes
bat --style=numbers,changes main.py
# Use as pager for man pages
export MANPAGER="sh -c 'col -bx | bat -l man -p'"
# Alias to replace cat
alias cat="bat --paging=never"ripgrep (rg) - Better grep
# Install
brew install ripgrep # macOS
apt install ripgrep # Ubuntu
# Basic search - recursive by default!
rg "TODO"
# Search specific file types
rg "useState" -t tsx
rg "def " -t py
# Case insensitive
rg -i "error"
# Show context lines
rg "function" -C 3
# Search and replace preview
rg "oldName" --replace "newName"
# Alias to replace grep
alias grep="rg"eza - Better ls
# Install
brew install eza # macOS
apt install eza # Ubuntu 22.10+
# List with icons and colors
eza --icons
# Long format with git status
eza -la --git --icons
# Tree view
eza --tree --level=2 --icons
# Sort by modified time
eza -l --sort=modified
# Recommended aliases
alias ls="eza --icons"
alias ll="eza -la --icons --git"
alias tree="eza --tree --icons"zoxide - Better cd
# Install
brew install zoxide # macOS
apt install zoxide # Ubuntu
# Add to your .zshrc or .bashrc
eval "$(zoxide init zsh)" # or bash/fish
# Now use 'z' instead of 'cd'
z projects # jumps to ~/Documents/projects
z myapp # jumps to ~/code/myapp
z src # jumps to most visited src folder
# Interactive selection with fzf
zi # fuzzy search all directories
# Replace cd entirely
alias cd="z"Comparison Table
Quick reference for old commands vs new replacements:
| Old Command | New Command | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|
cat file.js |
bat file.js |
Syntax highlighting, line numbers, git diff markers |
grep -r "text" . |
rg "text" |
10x faster, respects .gitignore, recursive by default |
ls -la |
eza -la --icons |
Icons, colors, git status, tree view |
cd ~/long/path/here |
z here |
Learns frecency, jump with partial names |
find . -name "*.js" |
fd -e js |
Simpler syntax, faster, colorized output |
du -sh * |
dust |
Visual bar chart, sorted output, much faster |
Why Developers Love It
- ✓ Blazingly Fast - Rust-powered tools are often 10-100x faster than their predecessors.
- ✓ Beautiful Output - Colors, icons, and smart formatting make terminal work enjoyable.
- ✓ Sensible Defaults - rg respects .gitignore, bat shows line numbers, eza has colors on by default.
- ✓ Drop-in Replacements - Alias them and your muscle memory still works.
- ✓ Active Development - New features and improvements added regularly.
Cheatsheet
Quick reference for common operations:
| Task | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| View file | bat file.py |
Syntax highlighted with line numbers |
| Search code | rg "pattern" |
Fast recursive search |
| Search type | rg "fn" -t rust |
Search only Rust files |
| List files | eza -la --icons |
Long format with icons |
| Tree view | eza --tree -L 2 |
2-level directory tree |
| Smart jump | z project |
Jump to frequently used directory |
| Interactive jump | zi |
Fuzzy search directories |
| Find files | fd pattern |
Fast file finder (bonus tool) |
Pro Tips
Advanced configurations and tips for power users:
Configure bat Theme
Run bat --list-themes to see options. Set with export BAT_THEME="Dracula" in your shell config.
ripgrep Config File
Create ~/.ripgreprc with default options. Set export RIPGREP_CONFIG_PATH=~/.ripgreprc. Add flags like --smart-case.
eza with Git Status
Use eza -la --git to see which files are modified, staged, or untracked right in your directory listing.
zoxide Query Syntax
Multiple keywords narrow down: z code react matches ~/code/react-app. Use z - to go back to previous directory.
Complete Shell Config
Add all aliases at once to your .zshrc: alias cat="bat" ls="eza --icons" grep="rg" and eval "$(zoxide init zsh)"
Combine Tools
Use them together: rg "TODO" | bat -l log or fd -e py | fzf --preview 'bat {}'
Getting Started
-
1
Install All Tools
macOS:
brew install bat ripgrep eza zoxide fd -
2
Add Aliases to Shell Config
Add to ~/.zshrc:
alias cat="bat" ls="eza --icons" grep="rg" -
3
Initialize zoxide
Add to ~/.zshrc:
eval "$(zoxide init zsh)" -
4
Reload and Enjoy
Run
source ~/.zshrcand experience the modern terminal