tldr-pages/tldr

Page modification request: unify grep documentation

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#19,922 opened on Dec 11, 2025

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Description

Command description

Currently there is a ton of repeated and mismatching documentation. This should be unified. I cut down some of it in #19920, but more work could be done.

While the most commonly used methods like invert match and ignore case should be documented in all of them, do take into account the individual needs and usecases of each tool.

  • grep
  • ack
  • ag
  • pt
  • bgpgrep
  • bzgrep
  • csvgrep
  • exiqgrep
  • git grep
  • ngrep
  • pgrep
  • pdfgrep
  • ptargrep
  • rg
  • sift (no page yet)
  • ucg (no page yet)
  • ugrep
  • xzgrep
  • zgrep
  • zipgrep

Platform

Common

Commands (probably) in common

  • Fixed string
  • Recursive
  • Context -A, -B, -C
  • Invert match
  • Extended regex

Contributor guide

Research direction
Identify the common options across all grep variants and ensure each page consistently documents the common options while preserving tool specific features.
Tech stack
shell
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
GitMarkdown
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
75