The terminal is where real work happens. AI agents run in it, modern Rust rewrites outperform legacy coreutils, and TUI apps handle everything from Docker to Git without leaving the command line.
This is a curated list of the CLI tools worth knowing in 2026, organized by what they do. Every tool links to its clihub listing with install commands ready to copy. Whether you're setting up a new machine or looking to upgrade your existing workflow, this is the list to work from.
File Search & Navigation
The tools you use most often — finding files, searching code, and jumping between directories. Upgrading these has the highest payoff because you run them hundreds of times a day.
fzf — Fuzzy Finder
Pipe anything into fzf and get an interactive fuzzy search. File lists, git branches, command history, process lists — anything with lines of text. The single most versatile CLI tool you can install.
brew install fzf
ripgrep — Code Search
Recursive search that respects .gitignore, skips binaries, and is significantly faster than grep. Replaces grep -r entirely.
brew install ripgrep
fd — File Finder
A faster, simpler find. Ignores hidden files and .gitignore by default, uses regex, colorized output. fd "\.rs$" finds all Rust files instantly.
brew install fd
zoxide — Smart Directory Jumping
Tracks your most-used directories. z proj takes you to ~/code/my-project. Replaces cd after a day.
brew install zoxide
See also: Modern Alternatives to Classic Unix Commands for a deeper look at how these replace legacy tools.
File Viewing & Diffs
Better ways to read files and review changes.
bat — cat with Syntax Highlighting
Line numbers, syntax highlighting for 100+ languages, git diff markers in the gutter. Drop-in cat replacement.
brew install bat
eza — Modern ls
Color-coded file types, git status per file, tree view built in. Maintained fork of exa. Alias ls to eza and forget about it.
brew install eza
delta — Git Diff Viewer
Syntax-highlighted diffs with line numbers and side-by-side view. Set it as your git pager and every git diff improves instantly.
brew install git-delta
AI CLI Tools
AI-powered tools that write code, explain errors, and run commands from your terminal. This is the fastest-growing category in 2026 — new tools are launching weekly, and the agentic ones can now handle multi-file refactors and test writing autonomously. For a deeper dive with pricing and comparison tables, see Best AI CLI Tools.
Claude Code — Anthropic's Coding Agent
An agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and handles multi-file changes. The most capable terminal-based AI coding agent right now.
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
aider — AI Pair Programming
Open-source AI pair programmer. Works with any LLM (GPT-4, Claude, local models). Git-aware — commits changes with sensible messages automatically.
pip install aider-chat
GitHub Copilot CLI — Shell Commands from Natural Language
Type what you want in English, get the shell command. Part of the GitHub Copilot subscription.
gh extension install github/gh-copilot
Git & Version Control
Git is powerful but its CLI is notoriously unfriendly. These tools add a visual layer without leaving the terminal.
lazygit — Git TUI
Full terminal UI for Git. Stage hunks, interactive rebase, branch management, merge conflict resolution — all with keyboard shortcuts instead of memorized git commands.
brew install lazygit
gh — GitHub CLI
Create PRs, review issues, trigger workflows from the terminal. gh pr create is faster than the GitHub web UI.
brew install gh
Docker & Containers
lazydocker — Docker TUI
See running containers, logs, stats, images, and volumes in one terminal UI. Replaces a dozen docker ps and docker logs commands.
brew install lazydocker
Shell & Prompt
Your shell and prompt are the foundation. Get these right and everything else feels faster.
starship — Cross-Shell Prompt
Fast, customizable prompt for any shell. Shows git branch, language versions, cloud context, command duration. Written in Rust, renders in milliseconds.
brew install starship
fish — Friendly Shell
Autosuggestions, syntax highlighting, and smart tab completions out of the box. The best shell for developers who don't want to maintain a .zshrc.
brew install fish
Terminal Multiplexers
tmux — Session Manager
Split panes, multiple windows, persistent sessions that survive SSH disconnects. The standard for remote work.
brew install tmux
zellij — Modern Multiplexer
Tmux alternative with a discoverable UI — floating panes, built-in layouts, status bar that shows keybindings. Lower learning curve.
brew install zellij
Data & HTTP
Working with APIs and data pipelines means processing JSON and making HTTP requests constantly. These two tools handle the heavy lifting.
jq — JSON Processor
The sed for JSON. Filter, transform, and format any API response or config file. Essential for REST API work.
brew install jq
xh — HTTP Client
Faster, friendlier curl. Syntax-highlighted output, JSON detection, sensible defaults.
brew install xh
System Monitoring
When something is slow or eating memory, you need answers fast. These tools replace top, du, and man with more useful versions.
btm — System Monitor
CPU, memory, network, and disk graphs in one terminal UI. Lighter than htop, more visual than top.
brew install bottom
dust — Disk Usage
Visual bar chart of disk usage, sorted by size. Instantly shows what's eating space.
brew install dust
tldr — Practical Man Pages
Community-maintained command examples. tldr tar gives you the 5 most common commands instead of a 4,000-line man page.
brew install tldr
Where to Start
Five tools that give you the biggest productivity jump:
- fzf — fuzzy find everything
- ripgrep — search code fast
- bat — read files with highlighting
- lazygit — Git without memorizing commands
- starship — a prompt that shows what matters
Browse the full directory on clihub to find more tools for your workflow.
FAQ
What are CLI tools?
CLI (Command Line Interface) tools are programs you run in a terminal instead of through a graphical interface. They're the standard way developers interact with build systems, version control, servers, and development environments. Most can be installed with a single command via package managers like brew, npm, or cargo.
What's the difference between a CLI tool and a TUI tool?
A CLI tool takes input and produces output in text — you type a command, it prints a result. A TUI (Terminal User Interface) tool draws an interactive interface inside your terminal, with panels, menus, and keyboard navigation. Tools like lazygit and lazydocker are TUIs.
How do I install CLI tools?
Most tools are available through system package managers. On macOS, Homebrew (brew install) covers most tools. On Linux, use apt, dnf, or pacman. Language-specific tools use their own managers: npm for JavaScript, pip for Python, cargo for Rust. Every tool on clihub shows the install command upfront.
Are these tools free?
Almost all CLI tools listed here are free and open source. The exceptions are some AI tools (Claude Code, GitHub Copilot CLI) which require a subscription or API key. Pricing details are in the AI CLI Tools article.
Do these work on macOS, Linux, and Windows?
Most of them, yes. The majority are written in Rust or Go, which compile to native binaries on all three platforms. A few tools have minor differences on Windows — check each tool's clihub listing for platform-specific notes. For the full breakdown of modern Unix replacements, see Modern Alternatives to Classic Unix Commands.
All tools listed here are available on clihub — the directory for discovering command line tools.