Efficient File Searching with 'plocate' (with examples)

plocate is a command-line utility designed to quickly locate filenames on your system. It leverages a pre-computed database to provide instant results for filename searches, which offers speed improvements compared to other search tools that search the entire filesystem in real time. To ensure the most up-to-date search results, it is necessary to periodically update the database using the sudo updatedb command.

Use case 1: Look for patterns in the database

Code:

plocate pattern

Motivation:

Imagine you have a large filesystem with thousands of files and directories, and you need to find files related to a project named “projectX”. If these files have the word “projectX” in their names, using plocate with a pattern is a swift way to locate all relevant files without the need to remember their complete path or exact filename.

Explanation:

• plocate: The command initiates the search process using the plocate utility.
• pattern: This represents the string or sequence of characters you expect to find within the filenames. For example, the pattern could be “projectX”, and plocate will rapidly scan the database for all entries containing this pattern anywhere in the filename.

Example Output:

/home/user/documents/projectX_summary.docx
/home/user/downloads/projectX_report.pdf
/etc/projectX/config.conf

In this example, the output lists the paths of files whose names contain “projectX”, demonstrating plocate’s ability to quickly identify all relevant files spread across various directories.

Use case 2: Look for a file by its exact filename

Code:

plocate */filename

Motivation:

Consider a scenario where you are searching for a specific configuration file within your system called “config.yaml”. You know this filename exactly but are unaware of its location within the directory structure. Using plocate, you can easily and expediently find this specific file, thanks to its efficient search mechanism.

Explanation:

• plocate: The command invokes the plocate search utility.
• */filename: Here, the pattern includes a prefix */ which instructs plocate to interpret it as a search for “filename”, but formatted to match the immediate directory followed by the specific filename. This format ensures that only exact matches of the filename are returned, ignoring other unwanted file variations.

Example Output:

/etc/important/config.yaml
/home/user/projects/config.yaml

The example output indicates the precise file locations where “config.yaml” was found, showcasing plocate’s capability to efficiently locate exact file matches in diverse directories.

Conclusion

plocate is an invaluable tool for quickly retrieving file locations based on both partial patterns and exact filenames. By increasing the efficiency of file searching operations, it aids users in managing large volumes of data effectively, saving considerable time and effort. Remember to regularly update the database with sudo updatedb to ensure search results are comprehensive and current.