Kerything review
A focused Linux desktop search tool for fast filename queries, not file contents.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Kerything is an open-source Linux desktop application for indexing and searching filenames on local block devices and mounted filesystems. Its narrow focus suits Linux users who want live filename results and more control over matching than a basic name query provides. It offers KDE-integrated and Qt-only desktop builds, and is intended for systemd-based Linux systems. This is a filename finder rather than a general desktop search suite: it does not search file contents, email, messages or OCR text.
The search workflow centers on in-memory trigram indexes, which provide results as users type. Matching options include file and folder filters, case-sensitive matching, whole-word matching and regular-expression searches. For filesystem coverage, Kerything scans EXT4 inodes and NTFS Master File Tables directly where supported; it can also index mounted Btrfs subvolumes and other mounted Linux filesystems through a generic scanner. This breadth is useful when filenames are spread across different local filesystem types, though it should not be confused with indexing arbitrary content. Users who need full-text search or cross-platform desktop search should choose a different tool.
Kerything is open source and has a free plan, so its published offering is not organized around paid feature tiers. Deployment is self-hosted on Linux rather than through a hosted service. A graphical application is paired with a privileged backend daemon that discovers devices and indexes them, with device changes monitored through a systemd socket-activated backend. That architecture is relevant to setup and ongoing administration: users need a systemd-based environment and should be comfortable with a privileged local service. Choose Kerything for local Linux filename search, flexible query matching and filesystem-level indexing; look elsewhere if you need content search, a non-Linux client or a search service without local daemon requirements.
Kerything pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Live results from in-memory trigram indexes
- Scans EXT4, NTFS, Btrfs subvolumes and other mounted Linux filesystems
- Filename filters, case-sensitive matching, whole-word matching and regex
- Where it doesn't
- Limited to Linux
- Does not search file contents, email, messages or OCR text
- Device discovery and indexing use a privileged systemd-activated daemon
Kerything fact sheet, pricing and score →
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