bat
MIT/Apache-2.0 cat clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration
Rust / Terminal · Apache-2.0 · 60.8k
Reviewed 2026-09-09 · last push 2026-10-17 · repo checked 2026-10-19
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.
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[](https://stackgems.com/gems/bat)
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