FSearch vs mlocate

FSearch — FSearch is an open-source desktop search application for Linux. It can index files on your computer and external drives, and provides fast searching, filtering and a customizable interface.

mlocate — mlocate is a command line utility in Linux for quickly locating files based on their name or a regular expression. It maintains a database of files and directories to allow fast lookups compared to se

FSearch offers Fast file searching, Regular expression support, Filtering by file types, Customizable interface, Indexing of external drives, while mlocate provides Fast file lookup using filename database, Supports regular expressions for flexible searches, Database updated automatically in background, Handles files moved or deleted after database update, Ignores binary files by default to avoid slow searches.

FSearch stands out for Very fast search results, Lightweight and low resource usage, Support for advanced search queries; mlocate is known for Very fast compared to searching filesystem directly, Powerful regex support for complex queries, Keeps index updated automatically.

Feature	FSearch	mlocate
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	File Management	Os & Utilities
Pricing	Open Source	N/A

Product Overview

FSearch

Description: FSearch is an open-source desktop search application for Linux. It can index files on your computer and external drives, and provides fast searching, filtering and a customizable interface.

mlocate

Description: mlocate is a command line utility in Linux for quickly locating files based on their name or a regular expression. It maintains a database of files and directories to allow fast lookups compared to searching the whole file system.

Key Features Comparison

FSearch Features

• Fast file searching
• Regular expression support
• Filtering by file types
• Customizable interface
• Indexing of external drives

mlocate Features

• Fast file lookup using filename database
• Supports regular expressions for flexible searches
• Database updated automatically in background
• Handles files moved or deleted after database update
• Ignores binary files by default to avoid slow searches
• Indexes paths as well as filenames for more targeted results

Pros & Cons Analysis

FSearch

Pros

• Very fast search results
• Lightweight and low resource usage
• Support for advanced search queries
• Can index network drives and external storage
• Open source and free

Cons

• No document previews
• Limited to indexing local files
• Fewer features than commercial alternatives

mlocate

Pros

• Very fast compared to searching filesystem directly
• Powerful regex support for complex queries
• Keeps index updated automatically
• Finds files even if moved/renamed after indexing
• Lightweight and low system resource usage

Cons

• Not useful if filename unknown
• Database can get large for huge filesystems
• Must update database manually after major filesystem changes
• Not designed for interactive browsing of files

Pricing Comparison

FSearch

• Open Source

mlocate

• Not listed