The Fastest Grep Alternative
for Developers
A lightning-fast search tool that recursively searches directories for regex patterns while respecting your gitignore. 100x faster than traditional grep.
See It In Action
# Search for a pattern recursively
rg "TODO"
# Search only in Python files
rg "def main" -t py
# Show 3 lines of context around matches
rg "error" -C 3
# Case-insensitive search with file list
rg -i "copyright" --files-with-matchesFeatures That Make ripgrep Stand Out
Every feature is designed with developer productivity in mind.
Lightning Fast
Built on Rust with SIMD optimizations and parallel directory traversal. Up to 100x faster than grep on large codebases.
Smart Defaults
Automatically respects .gitignore, skips hidden and binary files. No configuration needed for common use cases.
Cross-Platform
Native binaries for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Same speed and behavior on every platform.
PCRE2 Regex
Full PCRE2 support with look-around, backreferences, and Unicode character classes.
Developer Friendly
File-type filtering, colored output, JSON mode, and shell completions for bash, zsh, fish, and PowerShell.
Highly Configurable
Configuration file support, custom file types, and extensive CLI options for power users.
See the Speed Difference
Linux kernel source (25M+ lines) — Intel i9 @ 5.2 GHz
| Tool | Time |
|---|---|
| ripgrep Fastest | 0.082s |
| git grep | 0.273s |
| ag | 0.443s |
| grep | 0.891s |
What Is ripgrep?
ripgrep (rg) is a line-oriented search tool
that recursively searches directories for a regex pattern. Built in Rust, it combines the usability
of The Silver Searcher with the raw speed of grep.
It automatically filters files using .gitignore rules, skips hidden files, and handles binary files intelligently — all while being significantly faster.
- ✓ Open-source, maintained by Andrew Gallant
- ✓ 50,000+ GitHub stars
- ✓ Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
- ✓ Zero configuration for common use cases
- ✓ Powers VS Code built-in search
ripgrep vs grep
| Feature | rg | grep |
|---|---|---|
| Speed (large repos) | 100x | 1x |
| Respects .gitignore | ✓ | ✗ |
| Unicode by default | ✓ | ✗ |
| PCRE2 regex | ✓ | ✗ |
| Windows native | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compressed files | ✓ | ✗ |
| JSON output | ✓ | ✗ |
Get Started in 60 Seconds
Install with your favourite package manager
macOS
brew install ripgrep Windows
winget install BurntSushi.ripgrep.MSVC Ubuntu
sudo apt install ripgrep Trusted by Developers Worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ripgrep faster than grep? ⌄
Can ripgrep replace grep completely? ⌄
Does ripgrep work on Windows? ⌄
How do I search specific file types? ⌄
Can ripgrep search compressed files? ⌄
Ready to Speed Up Your Search?
Join thousands of developers who have made the switch to ripgrep.