sharkdp/bat

[Performance] Use `tree-sitter` to provide syntax highlighting ?

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#3,366 opened on Aug 3, 2025

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 (15 comments) (14 reactions) (0 assignees)Rust (1,557 forks)batch import
feature-requesthelp wantedneeds-worksyntax-highlighting

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Description

Hello,

I notice bat command is very slow, maybe we can use tree-sitter to provide syntax highlight, tree-sitter is very fast.

https://github.com/tree-sitter

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate how bat currently implements syntax highlighting (likely using syntect) and explore integrating tree sitter as a faster alternative. Understand tree sitter's grammar compilation and query system. Reference similar integrations in other tools like helix editor.
Tech stack
rust
Domain
cli
Issue type
Performance
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
3-5 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Needs investigation
Prerequisites
Rusttree sitter
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
40