install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install sift

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install sift

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/sift/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install sift

Debian stable package indexes · sift · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#sift

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/si/sift/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install Sift

Chocolatey community package catalog · Sift · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/sift

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/sift.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Fast and powerful open source alternative to grep

Project links

Commands and aliases

sift

history

Project history and usage

sift is a cross-platform command-line text-search tool aimed at code search, log analysis, digital forensics, and data processing.

Project history

sift was developed as an open-source grep alternative with a deliberate focus on safe defaults and reusable configuration. The official repository is implemented in Go and provides release binaries alongside source installation.

Adoption history

The official project distributes cross-platform binaries for Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD. The supplied metadata records packages for Homebrew, Chocolatey, Debian, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, and Ubuntu.

How it is used

Users invoke sift with a pattern and search path, optionally selecting file types, honoring `.gitignore`, searching multiline data, or applying preceding and following context conditions. `--write-config` persists selected defaults, and directory-level configuration can override broader settings.

Why package nerds care

sift belongs to the wave of grep alternatives that package fast recursive search, ignore-file awareness, and developer-friendly output into a single executable. Its distinguishing package-level traits include directory-local configuration, complex contextual conditions, multiline matching, and support for extremely large files.

Timeline

Initial project era: sift emerged as a Go-based, cross-platform alternative to grep.
Ongoing distribution: Release binaries and packages became available across major Unix-like and Windows package ecosystems.

Related projects

grep is the traditional text-search utility for which sift presents itself as an alternative.
Git ignore files can influence sift searches when Git-aware behavior is enabled.

Sources

current_curation.config-file-location
https://github.com/svent/sift#readme
https://sift-tool.org/
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.sift.conf.sift.conf

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`sift`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-09-19

manager version0.9.2

manager updated2026-09-13

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.9.2

https://github.com/svent/sift

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:sift
Version	0.9.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/sift
Homepage	https://sift-tool.org/
Repository	https://github.com/svent/sift
Upstream docs	https://sift-tool.org/
License	GPL-3.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/svent/sift/archive/refs/tags/v0.9.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-09-13T09:08:57Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	sift
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

sift 6.2.1-1

predicts if a substitution in a protein has a phenotypic effect

https://sift.bii.a-star.edu.sg/

sudo apt install sift

Section: non-free/science
Architecture: amd64
4 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: sift from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/non-free/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

sift

nix profile install nixpkgs#sift

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/si/sift/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

sift 4.0.3b-6

predicts if a substitution in a protein has a phenotypic effect

http://sift.bii.a-star.edu.sg/

sudo apt install sift

Section: multiverse/science
Architecture: amd64
4 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: sift from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

MacPorts95%

sift

sudo port install sift

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/sift/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Chocolatey95%

Sift

choco install Sift

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: Sift from https://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','seek-dsc-harddisk'

Scoop95%

main/sift

scoop install main/sift

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sift

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/sift.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/sift.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install sift with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, chocolatey, scoop