Install codespelunker on Ubuntu 26.04

The codespelunker (cs) is a lightweight command-line utility designed for searching and exploring source code repositories. It helps locate definitions, references, comments, and other code patterns across multiple programming languages, making it useful for navigating large projects. This tutorial explains how to install codespelunker on Ubuntu 26.04.

Install codespelunker

Download the latest release archive from the GitHub repository of the project:

curl -sSLo cs.tar.gz https://github.com/boyter/cs/releases/latest/download/cs_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz

Extract the executable and place it in the /usr/local/bin:

sudo tar xf cs.tar.gz -C /usr/local/bin cs

Verify that the installation completed successfully by checking codespelunker version:

cs --version

Delete the downloaded archive since it is no longer required:

rm -rf cs.tar.gz

Testing codespelunker

For testing purposes, download the latest source archive of the codespelunker project:

curl -sSLo cs-master.tar.gz https://github.com/boyter/cs/archive/master.tar.gz

tar xf cs-master.tar.gz && cd cs-master

For example, search the repository for the phrase the supported languages:

cs 'supported languages'

The search results include matching files, line numbers, language information, and code metrics, making it easier to inspect relevant sections within a repository.

Uninstall codespelunker

To remove codespelunker from the system, delete the installed binary:

sudo rm -rf /usr/local/bin/cs