3 Essential tldr Integrations to Boost Your CLI in 2025

1. Supercharge Your Search with `fzf` (Fuzzy Finder)

If you don't already use `fzf`, you're missing out. It's a lightning-fast, general-purpose fuzzy finder that can be used to search for anything: files, command history, processes, and—you guessed it—`tldr` pages.

By itself, `tldr` requires you to know the name of the command you're looking for. But what if you only remember part of it? Or what if you want to browse all available pages related to, say, `git`? Combining `tldr` with `fzf` creates an interactive search experience that's second to none.

How to set it up:

First, ensure you have `fzf` and a `tldr` client installed. Then, add this function to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc file:

# Interactive tldr search with fzf
tlf() {
  tldr --list | fzf --preview "tldr {1}" --preview-window=right:60% | xargs tldr
}

After reloading your shell (source ~/.zshrc), simply type tlf and hit Enter. You'll be greeted with an `fzf` interface listing all available `tldr` pages. As you type, the list is fuzzy-filtered in real-time. The best part is the preview window, which instantly displays the `tldr` page for the currently highlighted command. Once you find what you need, press Enter to view it in your terminal.

2. Instant Lookups with Shell-Specific Widgets (Zsh/Fish)

The ultimate goal of CLI efficiency is to minimize keystrokes and context switching. A shell widget or keybinding allows you to get `tldr` help for the command you're currently typing without having to delete it, run `tldr`, and then re-type it.

For Zsh users, this is incredibly powerful. You can create a custom widget that pulls the command from your current input buffer and displays its `tldr` page with a simple key combination.

How to set it up (for Zsh):

Add the following to your ~/.zshrc:

# Zsh widget to show tldr for the current command
tldr-widget() {
  tldr $BUFFER &> /tmp/tldr-output
  zle-line-init
  print -z "$(cat /tmp/tldr-output)"
}

zle -N tldr-widget

# Bind to Ctrl+H (H for Help)
bindkey '^H' tldr-widget

Reload your shell. Now, type any command, like docker ps -a. Before you hit Enter, press Ctrl+H. The `tldr docker` page will be displayed right below your prompt. This feels like magic and keeps you entirely in the flow of your work. Fish shell users can achieve similar functionality using its powerful binding and function capabilities.

3. Seamless Workflow in Modern Terminals (Warp/iTerm2)

The terminal emulator itself is evolving. Modern terminals like Warp are rethinking the user experience from the ground up, often including `tldr`-like functionality out of the box. Warp, for instance, has AI-powered command search and explanations built-in, providing a similar, example-driven experience without any setup.

For users of more traditional-yet-powerful emulators like iTerm2 on macOS, you can create a custom system service to get `tldr` help for any selected text.

How to set it up (for iTerm2 on macOS):

1. Open the Automator app.
2. Create a new "Quick Action" (or "Service" in older macOS versions).
3. Set "Workflow receives current" to text in any application.
4. Add a "Run Shell Script" action.
5. Set "Pass input" to as arguments.
6. Paste the following script:
   /usr/local/bin/tldr "$@"
   (Note: You may need to adjust the path to your `tldr` executable. Find it with which tldr).
7. Save the service with a name like "Show tldr Page".

Now, in iTerm2 (or any other app), you can highlight a command name (e.g., `rsync`), right-click, and select "Show tldr Page" from the Services menu. The output will appear in a new window. This is a fantastic way to look up commands you see in scripts or documentation without re-typing them.