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grep Pattern Builder Guide

Build a grep command with the right regex style, recursion, includes and context lines, then copy it.

grep searches lines of files for a pattern. grep Pattern Builder assembles a shell command from the choices you make; it does not search files in the browser.

Find a marker in a test folder

Set Pattern to TODO and Path to src (use a folder you actually have before running the command). Leave the defaults on: Extended regex (-E), Recursive (-r), Ignore case (-i), Line numbers (-n), and Skip binary files (-I). The displayed command should contain grep -E -r -i -n -I TODO src. If you ran it against a suitable folder, matching lines would include file names and line numbers; an empty result might mean the folder has no matches, not that the command failed.

Try Fixed string (-F) when the pattern is literal text such as a.b, where the dot should not mean “any character.” Include files accepts one glob such as *.js, not a comma-separated list. The Path is left unquoted so shell globs can expand: review it before running, particularly if it came from someone else. Copy takes the command, not search results.

Where your input goes

Processing runs in your browser. The tool does not upload your input to ilham.dev.

For more background, read Linux Command Line Tasks Without Surprises.

Questions you might have

When should I use -F?
When you are searching for literal text that contains regex characters, such as an IP address with dots or a string with brackets. -F treats the pattern as plain text, so nothing needs escaping.
What is the difference between -E and -P?
-E uses extended regular expressions for groups and alternation. -P requests Perl-compatible patterns such as lookarounds, but not every version of grep supports it. Test on the machine where you will run the command.
How do I pass several extensions?
The builder writes one --include for the exact text in the field and shell-quotes it. To use several patterns, add separate --include options to the copied command yourself; brace expansion inside the quoted field will not expand.