Beyond Bash: Exploring Modern Rust-Based Command-Line Utilities

  • 16/2/2023
  • One-minute read

Rust’s emphasis on safety and speed has inspired a new wave of CLI replacements. Here are a few worth adding to your toolbox.

Text & Search

  • ripgrep (rg) – blazing-fast recursive search with sensible defaults and .gitignore awareness.
  • bat – cat alternative with syntax highlighting and Git blame integration.
  • fd – user-friendly find substitute with smart globbing and parallel traversal.
  • delta – syntax-highlighted pager for git diff output; drop it into your Git config.

Files & System Insight

  • exa – modern ls with tree view, icons, and Git status indicators.
  • broot – interactive directory navigator with fuzzy filtering.
  • dust – visual disk-usage reporter that condenses du output.
  • hyperfine – command benchmarking utility that handles warmups and statistical summaries.

Networking & Sharing

  • miniserve – single-binary HTTP file server for quick sharing.
  • erdtree – enhanced tree viewer showing file sizes and permissions (handy for audits).

Getting Started

Most tools install via cargo install <crate> or your package manager (Homebrew, apt, nix). Keep binaries in ~/.cargo/bin on your PATH.

Tips

  • Alias new tools cautiously; run side-by-side with their Unix counterparts until your team adopts them.
  • Check licensing before bundling binaries in enterprise images.
  • Monitor releases—Rust projects iterate quickly, so automate upgrades through Renovate or Dependabot.
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