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`bfs`
=====
[](https://github.com/tavianator/bfs/blob/master/LICENSE)
[](https://github.com/tavianator/bfs/releases)
[](https://travis-ci.org/tavianator/bfs)
[](https://cirrus-ci.com/github/tavianator/bfs)
Breadth-first search for your files.
<img src="https://tavianator.github.io/bfs/animation.svg" alt="Screenshot" />
`bfs` is a variant of the UNIX `find` command that operates [breadth-first](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadth-first_search) rather than [depth-first](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth-first_search).
It is otherwise compatible with many versions of `find`, including
- [POSIX `find`](http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/find.html)
- [GNU `find`](https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/)
- {[Free](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?find(1)),[Open](https://man.openbsd.org/find.1),[Net](http://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?find+1+NetBSD-current)}BSD `find`
- [macOS `find`](https://ss64.com/osx/find.html)
If you're not familiar with `find`, the [GNU find manual](https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/manual/html_mono/find.html) provides a good introduction.
Breadth vs. depth
-----------------
The advantage of breadth-first over depth first search is that it usually finds the file(s) you're looking for faster.
Imagine the following directory tree:
<pre>
haystack
├── deep
│ └── 1
│ └── 2
│ └── 3
│ └── 4
│ └── ...
└── shallow
└── <strong>needle</strong>
</pre>
`find` will explore the entire `deep` directory tree before it ever gets to the `shallow` one that contains what you're looking for.
<pre>
$ <strong>find</strong> haystack
haystack
haystack/deep
haystack/deep/1
haystack/deep/1/2
haystack/deep/1/2/3
haystack/deep/1/2/3/4
...
haystack/shallow
<strong>haystack/shallow/needle</strong>
</pre>
On the other hand, `bfs` lists files from shallowest to deepest, so you never have to wait for it to explore an entire unrelated subtree.
<pre>
$ <strong>bfs</strong> haystack
haystack
haystack/deep
haystack/shallow
haystack/deep/1
<strong>haystack/shallow/needle</strong>
haystack/deep/1/2
haystack/deep/1/2/3
haystack/deep/1/2/3/4
...
</pre>
Easy
----
`bfs` tries to be easier to use than `find`, while remaining compatible.
For example, `bfs` is less picky about where you put its arguments:
<pre>
$ <strong>find</strong> -L -name 'needle' <em>haystack</em>
find: paths must precede expression: haystack
$ <strong>bfs</strong> -L -name 'needle' <em>haystack</em>
<strong>haystack/needle</strong>
$ <strong>find</strong> <em>haystack</em> -L -name 'needle'
find: unknown predicate `-L'
$ <strong>bfs</strong> <em>haystack</em> -L -name 'needle'
<strong>haystack/needle</strong>
$ <strong>find</strong> -L <em>haystack</em> -name 'needle'
<strong>haystack/needle</strong>
$ <strong>bfs</strong> -L <em>haystack</em> -name 'needle'
<strong>haystack/needle</strong>
</pre>
`bfs` also adds some extra options that make some common tasks easier.
Compare `bfs -name config -exclude -name .git` to
find ! \( -name .git -prune \) -name config
Try it!
-------
<a href="https://repology.org/metapackage/bfs"><img src="https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/bfs.svg" alt="Packaging status" align="right" /></a>
`bfs` may already be packaged for your distribution of choice.
For example:
<pre>
<strong>Alpine Linux</strong>
# apk add bfs
<strong>Debian/Ubuntu</strong>
# apt install bfs
<strong>NixOS</strong>
# nix-env -i bfs
<strong>Void Linux</strong>
# xbps-install -S bfs
<strong>FreeBSD</strong>
# pkg install bfs
<strong>MacPorts</strong>
# port install bfs
<strong>Homebrew</strong>
$ brew install tavianator/tap/bfs
</pre>
To install `bfs` from source, download one of the [releases](https://github.com/tavianator/bfs/releases) or clone the [git repo](https://github.com/tavianator/bfs).
Then run
$ make
This will build the `bfs` binary in the current directory.
You can test it out:
$ ./bfs -nohidden
If you're interested in speed, you may want to build the release version instead:
$ make clean
$ make release
Finally, if you want to install it globally, run
$ sudo make install
|
