fzf: The Fuzzy Finder That Changes How You Navigate the Terminal

What Is fzf?

fzf is a command-line fuzzy finder. You pipe any list of items into it, type a few characters, and it instantly filters to matching results. Select one, it gets returned to your shell.

That sounds simple. In practice, it changes how you interact with everything in the terminal.

---

Installation

# macOS
brew install fzf
$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install  # Install key bindings and completions

# Linux
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/junegunn/fzf.git ~/.fzf
~/.fzf/install

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install fzf

---

The Three Built-In Shell Integrations

After install, these key bindings work in your shell:

Ctrl+R — Fuzzy Command History

The killer feature. Instead of pressing ↑ 20 times to find a command:

Press Ctrl+R, type "docker run" or "npm test" or any fragment
→ instantly filters your entire command history
→ press Enter to run it

This alone is worth the install.

Ctrl+T — Fuzzy File Finder

Press Ctrl+T in your shell
→ fzf opens showing all files recursively
→ type to filter, Enter to insert the path into your command

Use it mid-command:

vim [Ctrl+T]    # fuzzy find the file you want to edit
cat [Ctrl+T]    # fuzzy find a file to cat

Alt+C — Fuzzy cd

Press Alt+C
→ fuzzy find a directory to cd into
→ Enter jumps there

---

Using fzf in Your Own Scripts

fzf reads from stdin and writes the selection to stdout:

# Select a file and open it
vim $(find . -name "*.ts" | fzf)

# Select a branch and check it out
git checkout $(git branch | fzf)

# Select a running process and kill it
kill $(ps aux | fzf | awk '{print $2}')

# Select a docker container and get a shell
docker exec -it $(docker ps --format "{{.Names}}" | fzf) /bin/sh

---

The Preview Window

fzf can show a preview of each item as you select:

# Preview file contents as you browse
fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}'

# Preview git log entry
git log --oneline | fzf --preview 'git show {1} --stat'

---

Useful fzf Aliases and Functions

Add these to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

# Interactive git branch checkout
gco() {
  local branch
  branch=$(git branch -a | grep -v HEAD | fzf --height 40% --preview 'git log --oneline -10 {}')
  git checkout $(echo "$branch" | sed 's/remotes\/origin\///')
}

# Kill a process interactively
fkill() {
  local pid
  pid=$(ps aux | fzf | awk '{print $2}')
  [ -n "$pid" ] && kill -9 "$pid" && echo "Killed $pid"
}

# Open file with default editor
fe() {
  local file
  file=$(find . -type f | fzf --preview 'bat --color=always {}')
  [ -n "$file" ] && ${EDITOR:-vim} "$file"
}

# cd to a directory anywhere in the tree
fcd() {
  local dir
  dir=$(find . -type d | fzf)
  [ -n "$dir" ] && cd "$dir"
}

# Search command history with full preview
fh() {
  eval $(history | fzf --tac | sed 's/ *[0-9]* *//')
}

---

fzf + ripgrep: Live Search

Combine fzf and ripgrep for interactive code search:

# Add to .bashrc/.zshrc
rgs() {
  rg --color=always --line-number "$1" | \
    fzf --ansi \
        --delimiter : \
        --preview 'bat --color=always {1} --highlight-line {2}' \
        --preview-window 'up,60%,border-bottom,+{2}+3/3,~3'
}

# Usage: rgs "useState"
# → live filtered results with file preview

---

fzf Options Reference

fzf \
  --height 40%              # Don't take up full screen
  --layout reverse          # Show results from top
  --border                  # Draw a border
  --preview 'bat {}'        # Preview command
  --multi                   # Allow multiple selections (Tab to mark)
  --query "initial"         # Pre-fill the search query
  --filter "pattern"        # Non-interactive filtering

---

Key Takeaways

• Ctrl+R for history, Ctrl+T for files, Alt+C for directories — these alone justify the install
• Pipe any list to fzf, get the selection back — works with any command
• Add --preview with bat for file previews while browsing
• Combine with ripgrep for interactive codebase search with syntax-highlighted previews
• Write functions that wrap fzf for your most common workflows (git checkout, kill process, etc.)