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ack2 is a programmer-centric search tool written in Perl that serves as a smarter, faster alternative to grep for source trees. It defaults to searching only relevant files while skipping build artifacts, VCS directories, minified bundles, and other noise, which dramatically reduces false hits. Filetype filtering is first-class: you can target languages by name (--perl, --python, --js) or define your own groups, and ack maps common extensions automatically. Results are colorized with context options, PCRE regular expressions are supported, and output is tuned for quick scanning across many files. The tool respects .gitignore and its own ignore mechanisms, and it offers sensible defaults that require minimal flags for day-to-day use. By optimizing for developer workflows rather than raw POSIX compatibility, ack2 helps you navigate large codebases with less typing and less cognitive load.
Features
- grep-like search tool tuned for source code repositories
- Written in pure Perl for portability
- Optimized to skip irrelevant files and directories by default
- Highlights matches in color for easier reading
- Supports Perl-compatible regular expressions and multi-line matching
- Excellent cross-platform consistency where Perl runs
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