# fzf — Blazing Fast Command-Line Fuzzy Finder

> fzf is a general-purpose command-line fuzzy finder written in Go. Blazing fast, portable, and composable with any list-producing command. Interactive picker for files, commands, history, git branches, processes, and more.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

```bash
# Install
brew install fzf                        # macOS
sudo apt install fzf                    # Debian/Ubuntu
scoop install fzf                       # Windows
git clone https://github.com/junegunn/fzf ~/.fzf && ~/.fzf/install
```

Common patterns:
```bash
# Interactive file picker
vim $(fzf)

# Fuzzy history search
history | fzf

# Git branch picker
git checkout $(git branch | fzf)

# Kill process by name
kill -9 $(ps -ef | fzf | awk "{print \$2}")

# Preview files while selecting
fzf --preview "bat --color=always {}"
```

Key bindings (after `source ~/.fzf.zsh`):
- `Ctrl+T` — paste selected files/dirs
- `Ctrl+R` — search history
- `Alt+C` — cd into selected directory

## Intro

fzf is a general-purpose command-line fuzzy finder written in Go by Junegunn Choi. Portable, dependency-free, and blazingly fast — it uses a smart fuzzy-matching algorithm that ranks results intelligently. Works as an interactive Unix filter for any list-producing command.

- **Repo**: https://github.com/junegunn/fzf
- **Stars**: 79K+
- **Language**: Go
- **License**: MIT

## What fzf Does

- **Interactive filter** — pipe any list, select one or many
- **Fuzzy matching** — type partial letters to narrow down
- **Preview window** — show file contents, git diff, commit message
- **Multi-select** — `--multi` for selecting multiple items
- **Key bindings** — Ctrl+T (files), Ctrl+R (history), Alt+C (dirs)
- **Shell integrations** — bash, zsh, fish auto-completions
- **Composable** — works with any `find`, `ls`, `git`, `ps`, `history`

## Architecture

Reads stdin, renders interactive TUI via termios. On Enter, writes selection to stdout. Matching algorithm combines substring match, camelCase boundaries, and path components for intelligent ranking.

## Self-Hosting

CLI tool, zero runtime deps.

## Key Features

- Super fast (Go + optimized matcher)
- Fuzzy matching with smart ranking
- Preview window
- Multi-select mode
- Shell key bindings
- Works with any input stream
- Customizable colors and layout
- Can trigger actions on selection

## Comparison

| Tool | Matching | Preview | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| fzf | Fuzzy | Yes | Fastest |
| skim (sk) | Fuzzy | Yes | Fast (Rust) |
| peco | Fuzzy | No | Medium |
| fzy | Fuzzy | No | Fast (small) |
| percol | Fuzzy | Limited | Python |

## FAQ

**Q: Can fzf and ripgrep be used together?**
A: A perfect match. `rg --files | fzf` fuzzy-matches over a gitignore-aware file list.

**Q: How do I pair it with tmux?**
A: fzf supports a `--tmux` option that displays it in a floating pane.

**Q: How do I define a preview?**
A: `fzf --preview "bat --color=always {}" --preview-window=right:60%`

## Sources & Credits

- Docs: https://junegunn.github.io/fzf/
- GitHub: https://github.com/junegunn/fzf
- License: MIT

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/fzf-blazing-fast-command-line-fuzzy-finder-85b6bab1
Author: AI Open Source