August 19th, 2024

Modern Unix Tool List

The article lists modern Unix command-line tools that enhance traditional utilities, highlighting Atuin, Bat, and Concurrently, while noting some tools as unsatisfactory and emphasizing the need for regular updates.

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Modern Unix Tool List

The article presents a curated list of modern Unix command-line tools that enhance or replace traditional tools found in a base Debian installation. The author emphasizes the need for more frequent updates to the tools provided with operating systems. Some highlighted tools include Atuin, which stores command history in a SQLite database; Bat, which offers syntax highlighting for file content; and Concurrently, which allows running multiple programs in parallel with color-coded output. Other notable mentions are Delta for improved Git diff output, Doggo as a better alternative to Dig, and Dust, which provides faster disk usage statistics. The author also appreciates tools like Jq for JSON manipulation and Ripgrep as an enhanced version of Grep. Additionally, the article notes tools that the author has not yet fully adopted, such as Eza, and mentions some that were found lacking, like Broot and Httpie. The list serves as a resource for users looking to modernize their command-line experience.

- The list features modern Unix tools that enhance traditional command-line utilities.

- Tools like Atuin, Bat, and Concurrently improve command history management and output visualization.

- The author highlights the importance of tools like Jq and Ripgrep for efficient data manipulation and searching.

- Some tools were found unsatisfactory, indicating a subjective experience with tool usability.

- The list is intended to be a living document, updated as new tools are discovered.

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By @craftkiller - 5 months
I strongly recommend storing your shell history in a database, but if you're more of a minimalist, you might want to look at zsh-histdb[0]. It only support zsh, and doesn't have cloud syncing, but its also written entirely in shell script, doesn't have "accounts" or rely on sponsors, and it is far simpler. I have been using it for years and it has been absolute bliss. Whenever I run a command, it is immediately available in the history for all of my shells, and I no longer have commands disappear from my history unexpectedly.

[0] https://github.com/larkery/zsh-histdb

By @arcanemachiner - 5 months
Seems like a pretty good collection of a lot of the tools I hear about these days, and also use myself sometimes.

I also like `fx`, which is like a combination of `jq` and `gdu`.

https://fx.wtf/

Oh, and also `gdu`, which is like `ndu` but faster:

https://github.com/dundee/gdu

By @gxonatano - 5 months
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Nushell, which is a modern BASH replacement that can replace curl, jq, and other data processing tools, and not to mention ls, ps, and other core GNU programs.
By @drpossum - 5 months
fd is the tool I've wanted for so long
By @fafhnir - 5 months
By @eigenlicht - 5 months
- fd: an improved find Depends on what you need to do, at least without constructing a pipeline like it's 1990 (modern..), probably on your age, and how much you suck at typing. I have it installed as well, but most of the time still use find and not just in scripts which hopefully is a no-brainer. Some rather weird decisions went into that iteration, or call it taste if you prefer. Even the name is a joke honestly. But what in and out of Rust isn't. Re-inventing the wheel, ok. But then why not, err, also improve on it?

- hexyl: a better xxd Like what?!

- ripgrep: a cornerstone of my workflow, an improved grep No, it's a by default recursive grep which grep emphatically isn't, wasn't and never aimed to be. It has many, many more features, is bigger, newer, shinier and (yes) a bit slower. But that's ok, I use it too where it makes sense, as usual. An improved silversearcher, maybe that!

I'm barely using anything of the mentioned. But then I hate colors, and when I want to see nice pictures I'm off to the movies. At least your definition of modern is actually funny.

By @swah - 5 months
jless - good companion to jq