# Install vgrep with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper User-friendly pager for grep. Version 2.8.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:vgrep ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install vgrep ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install vgrep ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/vgrep/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install vgrep ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vgrep from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#vgrep ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vg/vgrep/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install vgrep ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: vgrep from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:vgrep - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.8.0 - **Source summary:** User-friendly pager for grep - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - vgrep (cli) - vgrep (alias) ## Build dependencies - go - go-md2man ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.8.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/vrothberg/vgrep - Upstream latest detected: v2.8.0 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage vgrep is a user-friendly pager and interactive front end for grep-like search tools. It indexes matches from grep, git-grep, ripgrep, and similar commands so users can browse results and jump directly into a chosen location in an editor. ### Project history The vrothberg/vgrep repository was created in March 2015. The README describes vgrep as inspired by the older cgvg scripts, but extended with operations such as file and directory statistics and context-line display around matches. vgrep matured as a Go CLI for a familiar terminal workflow: search first, then navigate results. GitHub releases show continued maintenance through v2.x releases, including v2.8.0 in May 2024 with fixes for gracefully handling errors from grep-like tools. ### Adoption history vgrep's adoption is modest but real across Unix-like package ecosystems. It appears in Homebrew, Fedora/DNF, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE/Zypper metadata, and secondary package indexes describe it consistently as a grep pager or front end. The tool's appeal is strongest among developers who already use grep, git-grep, or ripgrep but want persistent indexed results and editor integration without switching to a full-screen IDE search interface. ### How it is used In normal use, vgrep runs a grep-style search, displays numbered results, and lets the user open selected matches in an editor such as Vim or Emacs. It also supports interactive browsing, context display, and cached result selection so users can revisit indexed matches without rerunning a search. Because it works with existing search tools rather than replacing pattern matching itself, vgrep fits into shell pipelines and source-code search habits. It is a pager and navigator around grep-family output, not a new regular-expression engine. ### Why package nerds care vgrep is a classic small-package utility: one executable that improves a decades-old command-line primitive by adding navigation state. Its package significance comes from making grep output act more like a lightweight code-search UI while staying editor- and shell-friendly. ### Timeline - 2015-03: vrothberg/vgrep was created on GitHub. - 2022-08: GitHub releases show v2.6.1. - 2023-10: GitHub releases show v2.7.0. - 2024-05: v2.8.0 was released with improved handling of grep errors. ### Related projects - vgrep is related to grep, git-grep, ripgrep, fzf-style terminal selection workflows, Vim, Emacs, and the older cgvg scripts that inspired its indexed grep-result navigation. ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** vgrep - **Version Scheme:** 1 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - vgrep: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vg/vgrep/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - dnf - vgrep - 2.8.0-9.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vgrep from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | User-friendly pager for grep | https://github.com/vrothberg/vgrep - zypper - vgrep - 2.8.0-1.6: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: vgrep from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Frontend for git-grep and grep | https://github.com/vrothberg/vgrep - MacPorts - vgrep: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: textproc/vgrep/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [go-md2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go-md2man/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [hgrep](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hgrep/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search, terminal. - [ddgr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ddgr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, search, terminal. - [fzf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fzf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, search, terminal. - [igrep](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/igrep/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search. - [jvgrep](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jvgrep/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search. - [ripgrep](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ripgrep/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search. - [sift](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sift/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search. - [sk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, search, terminal. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/vgrep.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/vgrep.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph