A new Rust crate called fli-tool has launched on crates.io as an 18KB alternative to the traditional ls command. Built using no_std Rust and Libc, this lightweight utility aims to provide directory listing functionality with minimal overhead.

The project was shared on Hacker News as a Show HN post, garnering 7 points and 1 comment so far. The no_std approach means the tool can run without the standard library, making it suitable for embedded systems and resource-constrained environments where binary size matters.

By leveraging Libc directly, fli-tool avoids pulling in the full Rust standard library, resulting in its remarkably small 18KB binary size. This positions it as a potential replacement for ls in minimal containers, initramfs images, or embedded Linux deployments.

The crate is available now via cargo install fli-tool, with source code and documentation hosted on crates.io for developers interested in minimal Rust CLI tools.