Everything (software)

Everything is a desktop search utility for Windows that can rapidly find files and folders by name. Since January 2013, Everything has been actively developed after a four-year break.[3] This utility is released under a free software license that allows modification and commercial redistribution, requiring only attribution.[2]

Everything
Screenshot of Everything v1.3.4.686 on Windows 8.1
Developer(s)David Carpenter
Stable release
1.4.1.969 / March 16, 2020 (2020-03-16)[1]
Operating systemWindows XP and later
TypeDesktop search
LicenseFreeware (Expat[2])
Websitevoidtools.com/ 

Overview

When Everything first runs, it creates an index of the names of every file and folder on all NTFS and ReFS volumes[4] on the system from file metadata, in the case of NTFS from the NTFS Master File Table.[5] By default, all mounted NTFS and ReFS[4] volumes are indexed.[6] Once created, the index is continually updated by the application; in the case of NTFS the updates are fetched from the NTFS change journal.[7]

Specific folders on any file system can also be added to the index, but the indexing of folders not using NTFS or ReFS will be slow.[8] The actual search using the gathered index will not be slow, though.

Regardless of the file system used on the indexed drives and folders, Everything searches its index for file names matching a user search expression, which may be a fragment of the target file name or a regular expression,[9] displaying intermediate and immediate results as the search term is entered.

Because Everything doesn't index content and in the case of NTFS drives relies only on the NTFS change journal to filter file updates, the only file system activity it requires on NTFS drives is updating its index, and it uses very little memory and processor time to provide its service when only indexing NTFS and ReFS drives.[10][11]

Take Command Console incorporates the internal command everything to allow command line access to the program.[12]

Similar alternatives

These alternative and also free search engines use the same technique of reading the NTFS index directly:

  • NTFS-Search[13] and the more recent SwiftSearch[14] – both open source
  • UltraSearch[15] – freeware
  • AnyTXT Searcher[16]

See also

References
  1. "Changes". voidtools.com. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  2. Carpenter, David. "License". voidtools.com. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  3. "Change log ('Changes.txt') on voidtools.com". Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  4. "Indexes – voidtools". voidtools.com. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  5. Carpenter, David (2009-08-08). "Re: Any way to schedule when it does it's indexing?". Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  6. "Using "Everything"". voidtools.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  7. Carpenter, David (2009-05-22). "Re: How "Everything" doesn't miss changes when not running". voidtools.com. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  8. "Folder Indexing – voidtools". voidtools.com. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  9. "Everything FAQ – Searching". voidtools.com. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  10. "Everything FAQ – Everything". voidtools.com. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  11. Larkin, Erik (2009-05-18). "Find Your Files for Free With Everything Search Engine". PC World. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  12. "everything", documentation, jpsoft.com
  13. "NTFS-Search". SourceForge.
  14. "SwiftSearch". SourceForge.
  15. "UltraSearch". Jam Software.
  16. "AnyTXT Searcher". SourceForge.

Further reading
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