ack and ag

class: center, middle

# ack and ag:
# Why you'll never use grep again.

---
# Have you ever done this?

Where's main used?

```
$ grep -rw main
.svn/pristine/c5/c519288ebf43bb63901aa45478421b17b30b827a.svn-base:     * main working logic is placed.  
.svn/pristine/ce/ceaaff166540f8cf1039caa8081ebc68baa8736d.svn-base:     * main working logic is placed.  
...

```

--
Let's try that again:

```
$ !! --exclude-dir=.svn
grep -rw main --exclude-dir=.svn
Binary file ./actions/obj/bizlink/actions/ApplyXSL.class matches  
Binary file ./actions/obj/bizlink/actions/BatchTest.class matches  
...

```

--
Third time's the charm:

```
$ !! --include=\*.java
grep -rw main --exclude-dir=.svn --include=\*.java
./actions/src/bizlink/actions/ApplyXSL.java:      * main working logic is placed.  
./actions/src/bizlink/actions/BatchTest.java:     * main working logic is placed.
...
```

---
# Wouldn't it be nice if grep

--
1. Understood what file extensions went with what languages

--
2. Ignored VCS directories like .git and .svn in recursive searches

--
3. Peeked at the #! line for files without an extension

--
3. Was more like ack:

```
$ ack -w main --java
./actions/src/bizlink/actions/ApplyXSL.java:      * main working logic is placed.  
./actions/src/bizlink/actions/BatchTest.java:     * main working logic is placed.
…
$ ack --help-types:
…
    --[no]html         .htm .html
    --[no]java         .java .properties
    --[no]js           .js
    --[no]json         .json
    --[no]jsp          .jsp .jspx .jhtm .jhtml
    --[no]less         .less
    --[no]lisp         .lisp .lsp
    --[no]lua          .lua; first line matches /^#!.*\blua(jit)?/
    --[no]make         .mk; .mak; makefile; Makefile; GNUmakefile
…
```

---
# [Ack is](http://beyondgrep.com/)

1. Designed for code search:
    * searches trees by default
    * ignores version control directories
    * easily limited to source code
2. Can also be used to list source files by type:
```
$ ack -f --java
actions/src/bizlink/actions/ApplyXSL.java
actions/src/bizlink/actions/BatchTest.java
…
```
3. Fast - because it only searches the stuff it makes sense to search.
4. Highly portable - ack is pure perl and runs everywhere perl runs.
5. Free and open.

http://beyondgrep.com/
---
# Ack Installation

CPAN module App::Ack

curl http://beyondgrep.com/ack-2.12-singlefile > ~/bin/ack && chmod 0755 !#:3

Packaged for your OS:
<table>
<tr>
<th>Mac</th><td>brew install ack</td>
</tr></tr>
<th>Debian</th><td>apt-get install ack-grep</td>
</tr></tr>
<th>Gentoo</th><td>emerge sys-apps/ack</td>
</tr>
<tr><th colspan="2">…</th></tr>
</table>

---

# If Ack is so great,

then what is this [Silver Searcher](https://github.com/ggreer/the_silver_searcher) thing?

ag, or the silver searcher is

> A code searching tool similar to ack, with a focus on speed.

i.e. faster than ack, but not as portable.

<table>
<tr>
<th>Mac</th><td>brew install the_silver_searcher</td>
</tr></tr>
<th>Debian</th><td>apt-get install silversearcher-ag</td>
</tr></tr>
<th>Gentoo</th><td>emerge the_silver_searcher</td>
</tr>
<tr><th colspan="2">…</th></tr>
</table>
  
  
  
https://github.com/ggreer/the_silver_searcher
---
# You should still use grep

When you're searching small numbers of really big files.

> grep's strstr() has been optimized for longer than I've been alive.
>
> Geoff Greer, author of ag