sedt

sedt is a command-line utility used for performing text transformations on an input stream, typically a file. It operates on a line-by-line basis and is particularly well-suited for find and replace operations, as well as more complex text manipulation tasks. The name sedt is derived from Stream EDitor and Transform.

The basic syntax for sedt involves the sedt command followed by an editing command and then the input file name. Editing commands are enclosed in single quotes. A common use case is substituting text. For example, sedt 's/old_text/new_text/' input_file would replace all occurrences of "old_text" with "new_text" in the specified file. The 's' command signifies substitution, and the slashes act as delimiters.

sedt offers a powerful scripting capability where multiple commands can be chained together or placed in a script file for more involved editing processes. It can be used for tasks such as deleting lines, inserting text, appending text, and transforming character cases. Its non-interactive nature makes it ideal for automating repetitive text editing tasks within shell scripts.

While sedt is highly efficient for many text processing needs, it's important to note that it modifies the input stream by default, meaning the original file is often overwritten unless redirected to a new file or the '-i' option is used with caution. Understanding the nuances of its command syntax and options is key to effectively leveraging its capabilities for text manipulation.