Search Content (Nautilus extension)

Customization
,
1

:magnifying_glass_tilted_left: Search Content — search-content.py

A real text content search in files — much more reliable than Nautilus' built-in search which depends on Tracker3 indexing. Right-click in any folder and search through file contents instantly.

Features:

  • Real content search using grep (always available) or ripgrep for speed (if installed)
  • Filterable by file extensions (e.g. py,txt,md)
  • Recursive or current folder only
  • Case sensitive / regex options
  • Skips binary files and common heavy folders (.git, node_modules, __pycache__)
  • Threaded search — UI stays responsive
  • Double-click a result to open the file
  • Right-click for context menu: Open file / Open with Gedit / Open folder / Copy path
  • Result limit (2000) to prevent UI freeze on huge searches
  • Timeout 300s for safety

Triggers:

  • Right-click on a folder → Search in files
  • Right-click on background → Search in files

Languages: French :france: · English :united_kingdom: · German :germany:

Dependencies: python3-nautilus python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-4.0 gir1.2-adw-1 grep

Optional: ripgrep for faster searches — sudo apt install ripgrep

2 Likes
2

I have tested ti a bit and it seems to work fine in a concrete Folder. And when You add for the seach the File Ending.

I have made the Experience when I search directly in the home Folder that it freezes when I search for something without adding a File Ending in the 2nd Row. Maybe because then it has to search too much Files but I wanted to report it.

Besides that it worked fine so far.

1 Like
3

I think it's because of this but I will make some tests.
Thank you for the feedback...

1 Like