ptags vs universal-ctags: which should I use for my project?

Use ptags if you work with large git repositories and need faster tag generation, as it parallelizes ctags. However, if you need tags for all files regardless of git status or use non-git VCS, universal-ctags alone might be more flexible.

How to configure ptags for a monorepo with submodules?

Enable the --include-submodule flag to tag files in submodules. Adjust the thread count in ~/.ptags.toml for performance, and use --exclude options to filter out unwanted directories or file types.

Does ptags work with Vim or Emacs?

Yes, ptags generates standard tags files compatible with Vim, Emacs, and other editors that support ctags. Just ensure your editor is configured to read the tags file, typically named 'tags' in the project root.

How to handle large binary files or exclude them from tagging?

Use the --exclude-lfs flag to skip git-lfs tracked files, or specify glob patterns with --exclude. Combine this with .gitignore rules to prevent tagging of binary or irrelevant files.

What's the best thread count for ptags on my machine?

Start with the default of 8 threads and benchmark with your repository using the -s flag for statistics. Increase threads based on CPU cores, but beware of diminishing returns or system overload on very large repos.

Can ptags update tags automatically when files change?

No, ptags does not have built-in file watching or incremental updates. You need to run it manually or set up a cron job or hook (e.g., git post-commit) to regenerate tags periodically.

Open-Awesome

ptags

MITRustv0.3.5

A parallel universal-ctags wrapper that accelerates tag generation for git repositories by up to 5x.

GitHub

142 stars10 forks0 contributors

What is ptags?

ptags is a command-line tool that wraps universal-ctags to generate code tags exclusively for git-tracked files, using parallel processing to significantly speed up tag generation. It solves the problem of slow tag creation in large repositories by distributing the work across multiple threads.

Target Audience

Developers working with large git repositories who use ctags for code navigation and want faster tag generation, particularly those managing monorepos or codebases with thousands of files.

Value Proposition

ptags offers up to 5x faster tag generation than standard universal-ctags by leveraging parallel processing, while maintaining git-aware filtering and compatibility with existing ctags workflows.

Overview

A parallel universal-ctags wrapper for git repository

Use Cases

Best For

Accelerating tag generation in large git repositories
Generating tags for monorepos with multiple subdirectories
Maintaining ctags compatibility while improving performance
Creating tags only for git-tracked files (respecting .gitignore)
Tuning tag generation performance with configurable thread counts
Integrating fast code navigation into existing development workflows

Not Ideal For

Projects not using git or using other version control systems like SVN
Developers who frequently need tags for untracked or ignored files without manual flags
Environments with strict binary dependency management or where installing ctags/git is impractical
Workflows requiring real-time or incremental tag updates without full regeneration

Pros & Cons

Pros

Parallel Speed Boost

Uses multiple threads to run ctags in parallel, achieving up to 5x faster tag generation on large codebases, as benchmarked with repositories like Linux and Chromium in the README.

Git-First Design

Automatically respects .gitignore rules and tracks only git-managed files by default, with options to include untracked or ignored files, ensuring focused and relevant tags.

Flexible Configuration

Supports TOML configuration files for customizing thread counts, binary paths, and ctags options, allowing personalized workflows as shown in the sample config generation.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Works with both Universal Ctags and Exuberant Ctags, and offers installation via cargo, binaries, and package managers like AUR, making it accessible across systems.

Cons

External Dependency Burden

Relies on pre-installed ctags and git binaries; if these are missing or outdated, ptags fails or underperforms, adding setup complexity and potential version conflicts.

Git-Centric Limitation

Primarily designed for git workflows, so including non-tracked or submodule files requires explicit flags, which can be cumbersome for mixed or non-standard environments.

Batch-Only Generation

Lacks incremental updates or caching; it regenerates tags from scratch each run, which can be inefficient for frequent updates in large repositories compared to more integrated tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

goose

an open source, extensible AI agent that goes beyond code suggestions - install, execute, edit, and test with any LLM

Stars54,013

Forks6,205

Last commit9 hours ago

just

🤖 Just a command runner

Stars35,682

Forks840

Last commit6 days ago

mise

dev tools, env vars, task runner

Stars33,616

Forks1,421