# bat

> MIT/Apache-2.0 cat clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration

**Category:** Rust  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://github.com/sharkdp/bat  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/sharkdp/bat  
**Added:** 2026-09-09

---

## The Hook

bat is `cat` with wings — syntax highlighting, line numbers, and Git diff markers in your terminal.

## What's Good

MIT OR Apache-2.0 dual-license. Drop-in cat replacement that detects language and applies syntax highlighting automatically. Shows Git modifications in the gutter. Integrates with pagers, supports themes, and handles non-printable characters gracefully. Pairs beautifully with ripgrep (`rg --json | delta` or `rg -l | xargs bat`).

## The Catch

Vs cat (POSIX baseline): bat is heavier — startup and memory cost for highlighting. Not a POSIX cat drop-in for scripts expecting raw byte streams. Large files or binary content should still use plain cat. Theme configuration is optional but becomes a rabbit hole.

## Verdict

MIT/Apache-2.0 cat clone. Free forever; alias cat=bat and never look at monochrome output again.