A simple script to locate files associated with a software install on Linux, BSD and macOS Ventura (version 13) and above

related.sh

#!/bin/sh
# A simple script to locate files associated with a software install
# (Should work on Linux, BSD and macOS [13+])
#
# This finds files whose metadata changed (which, for installed files,
# typically corresponds to their creation) around the same time as a
# reference file or an executable found in $PATH, within common install
# locations.
#
# It works by noting the UNIX Change time (ctime) of the reference file and
# looking for files altered within a small time window around that
# timestamp.
#
# Note: Modify time (mtime) would be far less reliable, as the original
# modification time is often retained on files during installation.
#
# Usage:
#
#   $ ./related.sh <file-or-command> [seconds]
#
# If a second argument is provided, the script will interpret it as seconds
# before and after the reference file's Change time (otherwise 10 seconds is
# assumed). Increase the value if you think some files may have been missed.
# Decrease it if you feel that too many files were found.
#
# Note: There are always possibilities for false positives, so review the
# files before removal.
#
# Uses the concepts explained in greater detail here:
# <https://gist.github.com/ruario/a36052a1ae1de4edbc6ad39fe39e5385>

set -eu

# Require at least one argument, the file or command (resolve reference
# file)
[ -n "${1:-}" ] || { echo "Usage: $0 <file-or-command> [seconds]" >&2; exit 1; }
case "$1" in
  */*) [ -e "$1" ] && reference="$1" ;;
    *) reference="$(command -v "$1" || :)" ;;
esac
[ -n "${reference:-}" ] || { echo "Error: \"$1\" is not a file or command" >&2; exit 1 ; }

# Capture the ctime UNIX timestamp of the reference file and define a date
# command, handling the differences between the GNU and BSD tools
OS="$(uname -s)"
case "$OS" in
  Darwin|*BSD*) ctime="$(stat -f %c "$reference")"; date_cmd='date -r ' ;;
         Linux) ctime="$(stat -c %Z "$reference")"; date_cmd='date -d@' ;;
             *) echo "$OS is not supported" >&2; exit 1 ;;
esac

# Define the time window in a format that the touch command can use
window="${2:-10}"
case "$window" in
  *[!0-9]*) echo "Usage: $0 <file-or-command> [seconds]" >&2; exit 1 ;;
esac
start_time="$($date_cmd$((ctime-window)) '+%Y%m%d%H%M.%S')"
end_time="$($date_cmd$((ctime+window)) '+%Y%m%d%H%M.%S')"

# Create two temp files (to be used to record the time window)
start_file="$(mktemp)"
end_file="$(mktemp)"
trap 'rm "$start_file" "$end_file"' EXIT

# Set the mtime of the temp files to ctime range (time window)
touch -t "$start_time" "$start_file"
touch -t "$end_time" "$end_file"

# Find files in common install directories whose metadata changed (ctime)
# within the time window of the reference (by reading the mtime values of
# the temp files)
find "$HOME/.local" "$HOME/bin" /etc /opt /usr -newercm "$start_file" \! -newercm "$end_file" \! -type d 2>/dev/null ||:

# Some installers drop files directly in $HOME, so check the top level as
# well
find "$HOME" -maxdepth 1 -newercm "$start_file" \! -newercm "$end_file" \! -type d 2>/dev/null ||: