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GNU Global vs Universal Ctags: catalog facts
GNU Global	Universal Ctags
Free Free software under the GNU GPL.	Free Free and open source under the GPL.
Windows, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Finds references as well as definitions Works across Emacs, Vi, shell and browser	Maintained successor to Exuberant Ctags Works with many editors that read tag files
Built-in parser covers only a few languages Designed mainly for POSIX systems	Command-line only Most useful when paired with an editor that reads tags
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License: GPL-2.0-or-later
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.