simagef is a CLI tool for finding similar images. It takes a list of image paths and returns either groups or pairs of images that are similar.

It uses the image-match crate to generate signatures for images and compare them. An option to match images using pixel comparisons via the image-compare crate is also available with the pixel feature flag.

simagef is faster than the findimagedupes Perl script, but might not produce identical results - not even across the signature/pixel modes, and is not designed to be a drop-in replacement.

Performance

Comparing 16,664 small to medium sized images, simagef takes 1 minute 31 seconds on the first run.

Installation

Install via cargo on most platforms:

cargo install simagef

For AVIF support, requiring libdav1d to be installed on your system:

cargo install simagef --features avif

The less efficient "pixel" mode:

cargo install simagef --features pixel

Install on Arch Linux:

yay simagef-bin

Usage

To compare a set of images:

simagef a.png b.png c.png

You can set the threshold of similarity with the -t or --threshold options:

simagef -t 50 a.png b.png c.png

You can additionally read filenames from stdin if - appears in the filenames list. For example using it with the fd command for finding files:

fd . ~/my_images | simagef base.png base2.png -

You can use the (slower) pixel-based algorithm with the -m or --pixels flag.

If you want only the pairs of images without the groupings, use the -p or --pairs flag.

You can specify an external image viewer for comparing groups of images using -e or --exec. You can also provide command line arguments:

simagef -e "gwenview -s" ~/Pictures/*

This will launch the executable with the groups (or pairs) of filenames as arguments. It will launch the executable again for the next group once the previous executable exits.

Formatting

Use the --format option to specify how output to stdout should be formatted:

• --format regular separates file paths with spaces and groups with newlines. It makes no distinction between path separation and spaces in paths.

• --format quote wraps filenames in quote marks, separates file paths with spaces, and escapes spaces in paths with a literal backslash. It separates groups with newlines.

• --format null provides file paths in full, separates file paths with the NUL character and separates groups with two subsequent NUL characters.

Database

From version 1.3.0, the database is enabled by default and greatly speeds up subsequent runs in the default mode. Signatures will be stored in your cache directory in a SQLite database file named simagef. You can disable this with the --no-database option.

Feature flags

• avif - Enables AVIF support. Requires libdav1d.

• no-exec - Disables the exec option.

• pixel - Enables the old pixel algorithm.

Caveats

• The groups are created using a recursive graph algorithm.