CLI tools I use


I like keeping my command line setup fairly small. These are the non-standard tools currently worth mentioning.

Terminal basics

nvim is my editor. tmux keeps sessions, panes, and long-running work organized.

starship handles the shell prompt, while fzf is the fuzzy finder I reach for in scripts and interactive workflows.

Better defaults

A few tools replace or improve the standard Unix defaults:

  • lsd for directory listings
  • bat for reading files with syntax highlighting
  • fd for finding files
  • rg for searching text
  • delta for nicer Git diffs

Git and workflow

lazygit is useful when I want a quick terminal UI for Git state.

tuicr is for reviewing diffs in the terminal, especially AI-generated changes.

Monitoring and navigation

htop gives a better process view than the default tools.

nnn is a fast terminal file manager.

mprocs is useful for running multiple long-lived commands in one terminal view.

Fun extras

Not everything has to be practical. cowsay and asciiquarium are still installed because sometimes the terminal should be a little less serious.