94 /100
A safe default discovery tool for coding agents because it is fast, read-only, and scriptable.
Structured output 86/100
Whether the CLI can return JSON, YAML, or stable machine-readable output.
Non-interactive use 98/100
Whether common workflows can run predictably without an interactive prompt.
Safety boundaries 96/100
Whether read-only, dry-run, scoped auth, and destructive command boundaries are clear.
Install options
Homebrew
$ brew install ripgrep Debian/Ubuntu
$ sudo apt install ripgrep Common commands
Search code · safe
$ rg "functionName" src Finds matching source lines quickly.
JSON search · safe
$ rg --json "TODO" src Returns machine-readable search events.
Agent usage examples
Codex CLI
Use rg before editing to find existing patterns, helpers, and tests. Prefer scoped searches over full-repo broad queries. Safety notes
- ripgrep is read-only and safe for repository exploration.
- Agents should use narrow paths and patterns to avoid noisy results.
What agents can use it for
ripgrep is one of the safest first tools for coding agents: it is read-only, fast, and works across large repositories.
Best fit
Use it before edits, during code review, and when tracing feature ownership.