Show HN: Swift List – A Modern Swift Implementation of Ls

3 points

a year ago

SwiftList is a reimplementation of the Unix ls command in Swift 6.0. It provides compatibility with standard ls flags while offering modern Swift API design and cross-platform support.

Technical Implementation

- Swift 6.0 with Foundation and FileManager for reliable file operations - Swift Argument Parser for clean command-line interface - Shell completion support for bash, zsh, and fish - Swift Package Manager integration for easy installation - Follows Swift API Design Guidelines throughout

Key Features

- ls flag compatibility (--all, --long, --recurse, etc.) - Color and icon (emoji) support for enhanced file identification - Multiple display formats (basic, detailed, recursive) - Multiple path support - Built-in shell completion generation (--generate-completion-script)

Recent Development

- Fixed shell completion reliability across bash, zsh, and fish - Added standard version flag support - Enhanced long format display options

Why Swift?

Swift's strong type system, memory safety, and Foundation integration make it well-suited for system utilities. The result is a fast, reliable ls replacement with modern error handling and clean architecture. The project demonstrates practical Swift usage beyond iOS/macOS app development, showing how Swift can be effective for command-line tools and system utilities. MIT licensed, comprehensive test coverage, ready for production use.