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 searching the whole file system.
mlocate: Fast File Lookup Utility
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.
What is Mlocate?
mlocate is a Linux command line utility that allows users to quickly find files and directories based on their names or regular expressions. It works by maintaining a database of all files and directories on the system. This allows mlocate to search this database very quickly when looking up file paths, compared to searching the actual filesystem which can be quite slow.
Some key features of mlocate include:
- Very fast lookups - since it searches an indexed database instead of the filesystem directly.
- Regular expression support - allows matching patterns in file paths.
- Automatic database updates - the database is updated regularly to keep track of new files.
- Security conscious - the database contents are permission controlled.
Some use cases for mlocate:
- Finding config files when you know the file name but not the location.
- Searching log files matching a certain pattern.
- Checking for world-writable files.
- Finding files before opening them in an editor or other program.
Overall, mlocate is a very fast and user-friendly command line tool for when you need to search for files by name or match patterns. It saves users time compared to recursively searching directories for relevant files.
Mlocate Features
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
Pricing
- Open Source
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
Reviews & Ratings
Login to ReviewThe Best Mlocate Alternatives
View all mlocate alternatives with detailed comparison →
Top Os & Utilities and File Management and other similar apps like Mlocate
Here are some alternatives to Mlocate:
Suggest an alternative ❐
Everything
Everything is a powerful file search utility for Windows that can quickly locate files and folders on local hard drives or external devices. It creates an index of all files on specified drives and searches against this index, providing nearly instant search results. Some key features of Everything include:Extremely fast...
DocFetcher
DocFetcher is an open source desktop search application designed for individual personal use. It indexes documents stored on your computer, including PDFs, Office documents, ebooks, images and more, and allows you to quickly search the content by keyword or phrase.Some key features of DocFetcher include:Full text search of document content,...
AndroSearch
AndroSearch is a powerful file search application designed specifically for Android devices. It provides an easy way for users to locate files stored on their phone's internal storage or external SD card.Some key features of AndroSearch include:Intuitive interface for quickly finding files by name, type, date modified, and moreSupport for...
FSearch
FSearch is an open source desktop search application designed for the Linux operating system. It allows you to quickly search and filter files on your local hard drives, external storage devices, network shares and more.Some key features of FSearch include:Fast indexing and searching of filesSupport for regular expressions and complex...
Keypirinha
Keypirinha is a lightweight and fast application launcher and productivity booster for Windows. It allows you to quickly launch installed applications, open files and search the web simply by typing keywords, without needing to use the mouse. Keypirinha works by monitoring your keystrokes and providing suggestions based on keyword matches....
FileSearchy
FileSearchy is a powerful file search software that makes it easy to find files no matter where they are located. It provides a one-stop solution to search across both local drives as well as cloud storage services.FileSearchy works by indexing all files in real-time, cataloging information like file name, size,...
DocSearch+
DocSearch+ is a powerful yet easy-to-use document management and enterprise search application. It helps organize, search, access and share documents and files stored across an organization's network drives and content repositories.Key features of DocSearch+ include:Centralized search index for documents scattered across network folders, SharePoint sites, file servers, etc.Support for 300+...
RecentX
RecentX is a free, open-source alternative to WizTree for visualizing disk space usage. Developed by a small team of independent developers, RecentX provides many of the key features of WizTree in an easy-to-use interface.After a quick scan of your computer's drives, RecentX generates an interactive map that allows drilling down...
SwiftSearch
SwiftSearch is a privacy-focused search engine that aims to provide accurate and relevant search results without tracking or profiling users. It was launched in 2021 as an open-source alternative to Google Search and other mainstream search engines that collect user data.Unlike Google, SwiftSearch does not create a personalized search profile...
ANGRYsearch
ANGRYsearch is an open source search software that allows you to set up your own private search engine. It gives users more control over their search data and focuses on privacy.Some key features of ANGRYsearch include:Open source code that you can freely customize and extendAbility to index your own private...
