cf ☆
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Description:
Filter to replace numeric timestamps with a formatted date time
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 1.2.8@0  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: cli text-processing timestamps logs unix
Install: brew install cf
About:
The 'cf' utility is a command-line filter that reads standard input, identifies Unix timestamps (seconds since epoch), and replaces them with human-readable date and time strings. It is particularly useful for parsing server logs and system files where timestamps are embedded within text. By acting as a stream filter, it integrates seamlessly into standard Unix pipelines for on-the-fly log analysis.
Key Features:
  • Stream-based filter: Processes text from stdin to stdout
  • Automatic timestamp detection: Identifies Unix epoch timestamps in text
  • Human-readable formatting: Converts numeric timestamps to formatted dates
  • Pipeline integration: Works seamlessly with standard Unix tools like grep and awk
Use Cases:
  • Parsing application or web server logs to make timestamp fields readable
  • Analyzing system output (e.g., from 'dmesg' or custom scripts) containing epoch time
  • Quickly converting timestamp columns in CSV or text files for manual review
Alternatives:
  • date – The native 'date' command is powerful but requires manual parsing and formatting flags; 'cf' automates detection within streams.
  • perl – Perl one-liners offer flexible regex replacement but are more verbose to type; 'cf' provides a dedicated, simple tool for this specific task.
License: BSD-3-Clause
Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, arm64_monterey, sonoma, ventura, monterey, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 13, 2025 7:24am 0 VERSION_BUMP b6dbb657
Sep 11, 2024 12:14pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 96e88ba5
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