fzf takes a list and lets a human pick from it. Because it doesn’t care what the list is, it attaches to history, files, Git branches, processes, Docker containers — anything.

Install 

  brew install fzf
$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install     # install the shell key bindings (answer y)
  
  sudo apt install fzf

Three keys you get for free

KeyAction
Ctrl+RFuzzy-search command history (replaces the default reverse search)
Ctrl+TPick a file under the current directory and insert its path
Alt+CPick a subdirectory and cd into it

Ctrl+R is the one you feel immediately. That long docker run ... from last month comes back with two words.

Pipe anything into it 

  # pick a file, open it in your editor
code "$(fzf)"

# pick a process and kill it
kill -9 $(ps aux | fzf | awk '{print $2}')

Add a preview pane

With bat installed, you can show file contents alongside the list.

  # ~/.zshrc
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="--height 60% --layout=reverse --border --preview 'bat --color=always --style=numbers {}'"
export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --exclude .git'
export FZF_CTRL_T_COMMAND="$FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND"

fd and bat are covered in Files & Search.

Three functions worth stealing

Drop these in ~/.zshrc:

  # pick a branch and check it out
fbr() {
  local branch
  branch=$(git branch --all | grep -v HEAD | sed 's/.* //' | fzf) || return
  git checkout "${branch#remotes/origin/}"
}

# pick a commit and show it
fshow() {
  git log --oneline --color=always |
    fzf --ansi --preview 'git show --color=always {1}' |
    awk '{print $1}' | xargs git show
}

# shell into a running container
dsh() {
  local cid
  cid=$(docker ps --format '{{.ID}}\t{{.Names}}\t{{.Image}}' | fzf | cut -f1) || return
  docker exec -it "$cid" sh
}

Search syntax

Symbols you can type in the fzf prompt:

InputMeaning
abcItems containing a, b, c in order
'abcContains the exact string abc
^abcStarts with abc
abc$Ends with abc
!abcDoes not contain abc
abc | defEither one

Next

Commands are faster to find; now shorten directory travel → zoxide

Edit this page

Last updated 19 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC. history