10 CLI Tools Programmers Should Replace in 2026

Cissy

6 min read

·

Oct 16, 2026

--

Listen

Share

Many developers use the terminal every day, but their toolset may still be stuck in the past: `ls`, `cat`, `grep`, `find`, `du`, `top`...

These commands are certainly not outdated, but the way we use them has really changed. In recent years, a batch of modern CLI tools has emerged. They don't just "rename" old tools — they directly bring Git information, fuzzy search, syntax highlighting, and interactive interfaces into the terminal. For anyone who writes code, checks logs, and browses directories every day, the difference can be quite significant.

1. bat: Making cat Actually Suitable for Viewing Code

`cat` is fast, but when viewing source code, it's basically just a wall of text.

You can try bat, which can be understood as a modern `cat` with syntax highlighting and Git integration built in:

bat app.py
bat config.yaml

Whether you're viewing code, config files, or standard input, you get syntax highlighting and line numbers directly. Especially when troubleshooting server configs, you don't need to open an IDE just to view a few lines.

GitHub: https://github.com/sharkdp/bat

2. eza: A Modern Alternative to ls

If your first instinct is still:

ls -la

Take a look at eza.