# UFFS User Manual UFFS (Ultra Fast File Search) is a high-performance file search engine that reads NTFS Master File Tables directly and queries them in memory. It indexes millions of files in seconds and searches them in milliseconds. > **Version:** This manual describes UFFS v0.4.x. --- ## What UFFS Does - **Instant file search** across every NTFS drive — no Windows Search, no crawling, no waiting. - **40+ filters** — size, date, extension, type, attributes, path length, tree size, bulkiness, and more. - **Background daemon** — loads the MFT once, then answers every query in ~200 ms. Starts automatically on first search. - **Cross-platform** — native NTFS access on Windows; offline MFT analysis on macOS and Linux. - **AI-agent integration** — MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and other agents search your filesystem directly. --- ## Reading Order Start here and follow the arrows. Each page builds on the previous one. ``` Getting Started ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ installation.md → getting-started.md │ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ ▼ Core Usage ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ cli-overview.md │ │ ├── search-modes.md (glob, regex, literal) │ │ ├── filters.md (40+ filters) │ │ ├── sorting.md (36+ columns) │ │ └── output-formats.md (CSV, JSON, table) │ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ ▼ Infrastructure ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ daemon.md → aggregation.md → cache-and-data.md │ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ ▼ Deep Knowledge ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ concepts.md → advanced-diagnostics.md │ │ └── performance.md (benchmarks & profiling) │ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘ ▼ Reference ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ troubleshooting.md · faq.md · glossary.md │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` --- ## Pages ### Getting Started | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [Installation](installation.md) | Build from source, platform requirements, PATH setup | | [Updating](updating.md) | Self-update: `uffs --update`, version pinning/rollback, doctor & repair | | [Getting Started](getting-started.md) | First search, understanding output, 5-minute tutorial | ### Core Usage | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [CLI Overview](cli-overview.md) | Pattern syntax, flags at a glance, subcommands | | [Search Modes](search-modes.md) | Glob, literal, regex, path-aware patterns | | [Filters](filters.md) | Size, date, extension, type, attribute, path, tree filters | | [Sorting](sorting.md) | All 36+ sort columns, multi-tier, deterministic ordering | | [Output Formats](output-formats.md) | CSV, JSON, table output; column selection; scripting | ### Infrastructure | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [Daemon](daemon.md) | Auto-start, lifecycle, management, platform differences | | [Aggregation](aggregation.md) | Server-side analytics: presets, custom specs, pagination | | [Cache & Data Sources](cache-and-data.md) | MFT captures, .uffs cache, --data-dir, platform paths | ### Deep Knowledge | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [Concepts](concepts.md) | Size vs SizeOnDisk, treesize, bulkiness, timestamps | | [Advanced Diagnostics](advanced-diagnostics.md) | --profile, --benchmark, logging, env vars | | [Performance](performance.md) | Benchmarks, per-drive profiling, validation throughput | ### Reference | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) | Common errors and solutions | | [FAQ](faq.md) | Quick answers to frequent questions | | [Glossary](glossary.md) | MFT, FRS, cluster, treesize, and other terms | ### Integrations (separate guides) | Page | What you learn | |------|---------------| | [MCP Server](mcp.md) | AI agent integration via Model Context Protocol | | [TUI Search](tui-search-box.md) | Terminal UI keybindings, patterns, focus system | --- ## Quick Links — "I Want To…" | Goal | Where to look | |------|--------------| | Find a file by name | [Getting Started](getting-started.md) §1 | | Search with wildcards or regex | [Search Modes](search-modes.md) | | Find large / old / hidden files | [Filters](filters.md) | | Clean up disk space | [Getting Started](getting-started.md) §5 — Triage recipes | | Get a filesystem overview | [Aggregation](aggregation.md) §1 — `uffs --agg overview` | | Understand why sizes differ from Explorer | [Concepts](concepts.md) §1 | | See real-world performance numbers | [Performance](performance.md) | | Set up UFFS for AI agents | [MCP Server](mcp.md) | | Fix "daemon won't start" | [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) |