# ripgrep Cheatsheet - Cheatsheets - Launch Pad

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# ripgrep Cheatsheet

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ripgrep (rg) is a fast text search tool that recursively searches directories for a regex pattern. Faster than grep, respects .gitignore by default, and has excellent Unicode support.

## Basic Usage

- rg pattern - Search in current directory

- rg pattern path/ - Search in directory

- rg -i pattern - Case-insensitive search

- rg -w pattern - Whole word match

- rg -l pattern - List matching files only

- rg -c pattern - Count matches per file

## Search Options

- -i - Case-insensitive

- -w - Whole word

- -v - Invert match

- -x - Match entire line

- -F - Fixed string (no regex)

- -e pattern - Pattern to search

- -f file - Patterns from file

- -g pattern - Glob pattern

## Output Options

- -l - List files only

- -L - List files without matches

- -c - Count matches per file

- --count-matches - Count matches (not lines)

- -n - Show line numbers

- -N - No line numbers

- -C N - Context lines (before and after)

- -A N - Lines after match

- -B N - Lines before match

- -H - Show filename (default)

- -h - No filename

- --color always - Always colorize

- --color never - Never colorize

- --color auto - Colorize when outputting to terminal

## File Options

- -t type - Search only file type

- -T type - Exclude file type

- -g pattern - Include glob pattern

- -g !pattern - Exclude glob pattern

- --type-list - List all file types

- --no-ignore - Don't respect ignore files

- --ignore-case - Case-insensitive matching

- -u - Unrestricted search (like --no-ignore)

- -uu - Also search hidden files

- -uuu - Also search binary files

## Common Examples

### Basic Search

    rg "function"

Search for "function" in current directory.

### Case-Insensitive

    rg -i "error"

Search case-insensitively.

### List Files

    rg -l "TODO"

List files containing "TODO".

### With Context

    rg -C 3 "pattern"

Show 3 lines before and after.

#### Specific File Type

    rg -t py "import"

Search only Python files.

### Exclude Type

    rg -T js "function"

Search excluding JavaScript files.

### Whole Word

    rg -w "test"

Match whole word only.

### Fixed String

    rg -F "*.txt"

Search literal string (no regex).

### Count Matches

    rg -c "error"

Count matches per file.

### Unrestricted

    rg -u "pattern"

Ignore .gitignore and other ignore files.

## Tips

- Much faster than grep for large codebases

- Respects .gitignore by default

- Use -i for case-insensitive search

- Use -l to just list files

- Use -t to filter by file type

- Use -C for context around matches

- Excellent Unicode support

- Great for code searching