Many Linux users believe the only options for searching for files are those built into the operating system. Of course, the ‘find’ command or the file search capability provided by the file manager does an excellent job.
But what if you could go to the next level using a handy graphical tool that searches for files at the speed of light? Meet FSearch.
FSearch is an open-source standalone file search utility based on GTK3 inspired by Everything Search Engine. Because it is written in C, FSearch offers incredibly fast search speed, which is the application’s main advantage.
In addition, the search is carried out in real-time, with search queries being processed and displayed as you type letters and characters.
However, FSearch is capable of much more than simply searching for files by name. It enables advanced Linux users to search and combine logical searches based on various criteria, making it a powerful tool.
Recently, FSearch 0.2 was just released, so let’s take a look at what’s changed.
FSearch 0.2 Highlights
The ability to install the application as a Snap package has been removed in the new version. Of course, there are reasonable grounds for this, most of which are related to the limitations imposed by the Snap format.
The point is that FSearch, as a Snap app, does not have permission to read the default applications for file types, and Snaps keep having issues interacting with the system portal (a way to open files for sandboxed applications).
On top of that, because Snap prevents applications from accessing hidden folders in the home folder, FSearch cannot search in them.
Of course, none of these limitations apply to Flatpak, so the new FSearch 0.2 is now available and can be installed as a Flatpak package from Flathub.
The most important news in the new version is a vastly improved search engine. Finally, you can search for entries based on their size, modification date, folder depth, extension, content type, number of children, and other criteria.
For example, to find every MP4 file larger than 1GB, type: ext:mp4 size:>1gb. In addition, empty space was previously treated as an AND operator, but with this new release, you can also construct queries with OR and NOT operators.
Another significant new feature is the ability to add custom filters. FSearch already had a few predefined, such as Videos, Documents, and Archives.
However, it is now possible to add new and modify existing ones in Preferences -> Search -> Filter. So, this feature will come in handy if you frequently use predefined searches.
Other noteworthy features of FSearch 0.2 include:
- Slow queries can now be aborted
- Sorting can now be aborted
- Improved sort and scroll performance
- Remember file selection after a database update
- Added filter for desktop applications
- Better support for opening files in sandboxed mode
Of course, there are tons of bug fixes, translation updates, and other smaller improvements. For more information about all changes in FSearch 0.2, visit the official announcement or the project page on GitHub.
Installing FSearch
Ubuntu
If you are using Ubuntu or its derivatives, such as Linux Mint, the official PPA is the best way to install FSearch. Enter the following commands in the terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:christian-boxdoerfer/fsearch-stable
sudo apt update
sudo apt install fsearchArch Linux
The most recent version, Fsearch 0.2, is available in the AUR repository for Arch Linux users. To install it, they need to run:
yay -S fsearchFedora
To install FSearch, Fedora users need to use the Fedora COPR repository.
sudo dnf copr enable cboxdoerfer/fsearch
sudo dnf install fsearchOther
Flatpak is the universal method for installing FSearch on any Linux distro. But if youโre unfamiliar with Flatpak, our excellent guide on the subject, โFlatpak on Linux: What It Is and How to Install Apps with It,โ will come in handy.
Things are a lot simpler here. First, run the following command in the terminal to enable the Flathub remote if it is not already enabled:
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoCode language: JavaScript (javascript)Then, run the following command to install FSearch:
flatpak install flathub io.github.cboxdoerfer.FSearchCode language: CSS (css)