install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install zf

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#zf

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/zf/zf/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Command-line fuzzy finder that prioritizes matches on filenames

Project links

Commands and aliases

zf

history

Project history and usage

zf is a command-line fuzzy finder and Zig/C fuzzy-ranking library designed around a common developer workflow: filtering file paths where the basename usually matters more than parent directories.

Project history

Nathan Craddock describes zf as coming from frustration with existing fuzzy finders ranking the intended file below path matches. In 2021 he began experimenting with filename-prioritized matching, later separating the ranking idea from a Neovim file picker so it could be used as a standalone command and library.

How it is used

zf reads newline-separated candidates from stdin and writes selected candidates to stdout, so it fits the same shell slot as tools like fzf. Its key behavior is ranking filename matches ahead of full-path matches, adding strict path matching when the query contains path separators, and supporting whitespace-separated query tokens for narrowing results.

Why package nerds care

zf matters in package catalogs as a deliberately narrower fuzzy finder: it does not try to out-feature fzf, but packages one ranking opinion that is useful enough to be reused in editors, shell pipelines, and libraries.

Timeline

2021: The author starts experimenting with filename-prioritized fuzzy matching after repeated file-search ranking misses.
2023-03-17: The author publishes a design write-up explaining zf, strict path matching, and the standalone tool/library direction.

Related projects

fzf and fzy are the comparison points used in the author write-up.
telescope-zf-native.nvim reuses the zf ranking idea inside Neovim Telescope.
nvim-find was an earlier Neovim file finder by the same author that helped motivate extracting the algorithm.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`zf`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.10.4

manager updated2026-04-15

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected0.10.4

https://github.com/natecraddock/zf

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:zf
Version	0.10.4
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/zf
Homepage	https://github.com/natecraddock/zf
Repository	https://github.com/natecraddock/zf
Upstream docs	https://github.com/natecraddock/zf/blob/main/doc/lib.md
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/natecraddock/zf/archive/refs/tags/0.10.4.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-04-15T01:07:17-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	zig@0.15
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	zf
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

zf

nix profile install nixpkgs#zf

normalized package name match
Matched by: Zf

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zf/zf/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/zf.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install zf with Homebrew, Nix