Using the "s" Command (with examples)
Introduction
The “s” command is a powerful tool that allows you to perform web searches directly from your terminal. It supports multiple search providers, such as Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and more. In this article, we will explore various use cases of the “s” command and provide code examples to illustrate each scenario.
1: Searching for a query on Google (default provider)
s query
Motivation:
You might want to quickly search for information on Google without opening a web browser. Using the “s” command with a query allows you to perform a Google search directly from your terminal.
Explanation:
By simply typing the command followed by your query, the “s” command will perform a search using the default search provider, which is Google.
Example Output:
If you run the command s web development, it will return a list of search results related to web development.
2: Listing all available providers
s --list-providers
Motivation:
You may want to know the available search providers supported by the “s” command. Listing all providers can help you determine which search engines you can use for your searches.
Explanation:
When you execute the command with the --list-providers option, the “s” command will display a list of all available search providers.
Example Output:
Running the command will show a list like this:
Available providers:
- duckduckgo
- google
- bing
- yahoo
- ask
3: Searching for a query with a specific provider
s --provider provider query
Motivation:
You may prefer to use a different search provider other than the default. This use case allows you to specify the provider to perform your search.
Explanation:
To search with a specific provider, you need to include the --provider flag followed by the desired provider’s name, and then provide your query.
Example Output:
For instance, running the command s --provider duckduckgo coding will display a list of search results for the query “coding” using DuckDuckGo as the search provider.
4: Using a custom binary to perform the search query
s --binary "binary arguments" query
Motivation:
In certain cases, you may want to use a custom binary to perform your search. This allows you to extend the functionality of the “s” command by leveraging the capabilities of other command-line tools or scripts.
Explanation:
To use a custom binary, you need to provide the --binary flag followed by the command and its arguments enclosed in quotes. After that, you can provide your query as usual.
Example Output:
Suppose you have a custom script called my-search-script.sh that performs a search using a specific API. Running the command s --binary "./my-search-script.sh args" query will execute your custom script with the specified arguments and display the search results.
Conclusion
The “s” command is a versatile tool for performing web searches directly from your terminal. Whether you want to search using a specific search provider, execute a custom binary, or simply perform a quick search using the default provider, the “s” command has you covered. With the code examples provided, you can now make the most of this powerful command and streamline your web search workflow.
