A guide to file managers on Linux. Best file managers for Linux Dual-panel file managers in ubuntu

Signs of pregnancy after embryo implantation

And if when talking about managers for Windows and DOS, the number of various functions, with which the product is equipped, then in the case of file managers for Linux the situation is diametrically opposite, that is, the fewer various functions, the better. As a result, one side taking part in the dispute authoritatively declares that the truth lies in the console alone, while the other side gets bored and avoids further discussion.

In fact, why does a file manager need many functions? More precisely, why does it need functions other than the direct purpose of the product? If we turn back a few pages of history, we will find a young man - apparently a student - sitting in front of a 14-inch, as they called it, “VGA monitor” and briskly rearranging floppy disks in a three-inch floppy drive. At that time, the file manager really should have included the widest range of capabilities, since most people then worked in DOS, and DOS is by no means a multitasking system, although multitasking was relatively emulated in it using resident programs sitting in random access memory and from time to time showing signs of life.

When the classic Norton Commander was replaced by the no less classic Volkov Commander, everyone rejoiced greatly, and with the advent of DOS Navigator there was no limit to the delight. The world developed, Windows came - two titans appeared - FAR and Windows Commander, later renamed Total Commander. Both products, thanks to their plugin-supporting architecture, began to acquire add-ons. Peculiar subcultures of these products have emerged. Games are made for FAR and Total Commander, file viewers of different formats, email clients- you can find anything.

Here it is appropriate to pay attention to the reason - probably, multitasking is so unusual for the user in a system where these work file managers that people prefer to work with ONE program that combines the functions of MANY programs. I can't find any other logical explanation.

Now let's turn our attention to Linux. Windows users, when encountering Linux file managers for the first time, immediately call them “poor”, or some other words that cannot be printed. In fact, this is a misunderstanding of the basic principle of the system, its cornerstone - multitasking. This is where the origins lie. Therefore - this has always been the case - Linux program developers rarely make "harvesters". Every program must perform its intended function, and do it well.

By improving only those functions that correspond to the intended purpose of the program, the developer achieves best result. The following analogy can be given. There are two programmers - Ivanov and Prokhorov. Ivanov is trying to learn all programming languages ​​at once, while Prokhorov is trying to learn only Java. And so Prokhorov studies Java perfectly and finds a well-paid job, while Ivanov continues... to study a little bit of everything. A sniper must be a sniper, and if he goes to wave a bayonet, it will be of little use.

So, Linux file managers primarily have a narrow specialization. They work with files. The most popular among console file managers is Midnight Commander, whose appearance is most similar to the good old Norton Commander. Two blue panels, menu and status bars, command line - nothing more. Meanwhile, this is one of the most convenient file managers I have worked with. Although I use the KDE graphical environment, I often prefer to communicate with the file system in the console Midnight Commander - it constantly floats in the window on my screen.

Midnight Commander is perfectly Russified, in addition, it has a built-in viewer text files, which understands Russian encodings. No, I’m not contradicting myself when I talk about this “excess” - such a file viewer, as well as the editor built into Midnight Commander, are very necessary - because Linux has a lot of configuration files that often require editing, and such an editor is very convenient for programming , because it is equipped with syntax highlighting.

If you press Enter on a file in Midnight Commander, you will most likely be able to view, run, or play the file, depending on the nature of the file. Can Midnight Commander play music or show videos? No, it just has good enough default settings to launch the XMMS player for an MP3 file, Mplayer for a video, and the Display utility for an image. What's wrong with that, you say? After all, FAR can also call external utilities. I’ll ask a counter question - then why does he need plugins? This is not said reproachfully. Just a question.

Everything you need to work with files is present in Midnight Commander. This is an FTP client, and the ability to enter archives, like in a directory, and even the ability to perform some bulk operations on files. for the latter, just select the files in the list, then press F2 to display the User Menu and select the do something with the current file item there, and enter the command you need in the window that appears with the input field. For example, select such and such files with cartoons in DivX format. Press F2, select the above menu item, and enter the command: mplayer. All! All selected files will be displayed sequentially. By the way, the User Menu is perhaps the only menu that has not been translated into Midnight Commander. However, this does not make it any less useful. The Compress the current directory item allows you to archive the contents of the current directory. There are also functions for compressing and decompressing individual files.

From the console, let's now move on to the graphical shell and pay attention to another file manager - Krusader, the letter K at the beginning of the name of which eloquently indicates that this program belongs to the KDE graphical environment. Krusader by appearance and the set of functions can be compared with Total Commander.

Like Midnight Commander, Krusader allows you to work transparently with archives, FTP servers, etc. - all this is achieved through so-called virtual file systems. Krusader is also equipped with two panels, but each of them can contain several tabs, like pages in Opera browsers or Firefox. This is very convenient if you need to copy certain files from a dozen directories into one, while actively working simultaneously with each of these dozen directories.

Krusader includes a useful tool for synchronizing the contents of directories, a powerful search utility, a partition mount manager (with the ability to mount them automatically), a function for splitting a file into equal parts (for example, if you need to transfer large file on several floppy disks) and subsequent assembly of the file into a single whole from fragments. Krusader can interact with another utility - KRename, designed for bulk renaming of files according to a given pattern with various parameters.

Krusader is equipped with a built-in image viewer and text file viewer (based on the Kate editor, which means that there is syntax highlighting, encoding selection, and dozens of other functions). However, if something happens, Krusader can display the file in hexadecimal mode.

To quickly move between directories, Krusader provides a bookmark mechanism - and they can point to both local and network directories, for example somewhere on an FTP server.

So, Krusader can do everything that a file manager should be able to do. What about plugins, you ask? Plugins that provide access to other file systems, like the Total Commander plugins do? Everything is very simple. To Caesar - what is Caesar's. Linux itself provides access to different file systems, be it ext2/ext3, FAT32 or NTFS. This access is implemented at the system level; there is simply no need to repeat it in the file manager. Do you want to get to Windows partitions? No problem. Linux partitions? No problem either.

This again comes to the question that each program should do its own thing, and that’s the point operating system provide the ability to work with file systems. The file manager shouldn't do this - and doesn't. On Linux. But until Windows “sees” Linux partitions and does not provide working access to them (although there are third-party drivers for this), until then there will be corresponding plugins for file managers for the Windows platform.

This is explained simply. The work environment is an important element, but essentially an auxiliary one. The main user tool is the application program. The user may, for some time, put up with an inconvenient method for launching applications or an unpleasant color of icons. But if the usual keyboard shortcuts do not work in some new text editor, then there will be no transition to it.

This, in turn, can create problems for migrants. Without the burden of the past behind them, they choose the objectively best tools, but thereby limit the ability of experienced users to give them any advice. By the way, this is often observed in practice and is perceived by some newcomers as unfriendliness of veterans. Although in reality their recommendations are quite sincere - they can help with setting up vim, but are practically unfamiliar with kate.

A significant portion of experienced Linux users work with console file managers, preferring them to the more intuitive Dolphin or Nautilus. Although they use KDE or GNOME desktops.

Thus, even beginners should know what is commonly called the Linux classics. Including console file managers.

1 Midnight Commander

Console file manager Midnight Commander

This is the most popular console file manager running on Linux. The program is included by default in a large number of distributions. A lot of documentation has already been compiled for it, so learning the rules of working with the application will not be difficult for users of different levels of training.

MC supports everything basic operations with files: copying, renaming, deleting, changing owner and access rights, creating links, directories, etc. The program can work not only with local, but also remote file systems via FTP and SSH access.

The program also includes additional features: working with archives, built-in search, viewing and editing files using its own MCEdit module. Thus, relatively complex operations can be performed in MC.

The file manager interface is the usual two-panel one. Its effectiveness has long been proven by practice.

The application is completely localized.

Sudo apt-get install mc

2 Ranger


Ranger console file manager

This is a console file manager. By default, its interface is three-panel: the first column displays a list of directories, the second - a list of files, and the third is intended for viewing files, including graphic formats. At the same time, all operations standard for programs of this type are supported, although not in the most obvious way.

However, the lack of visibility makes Ranger not very useful for copy and move operations. The strengths of this app are navigation, search and browsing. This is greatly facilitated by a convenient bookmark system.

The program is configured by directly editing the configuration file. This may seem inconvenient, although in practice this is not the case thanks to the intuitive design of this file. The user can define the number of columns, sort order, status bar appearance, color scheme, etc.

Distributed under the terms of GNU GPLv3.

Sudo apt-get install ranger

3 WCM Commander


Console file manager WCM Commander

This is a file manager, which is most often called a clone of the famous FAR. Of course, experienced users will say that this is somewhat exaggerated, but nevertheless the similarity is quite close, at least at the level of the most popular operations. In particular, the keyboard combination Shift+F1, which is familiar to many, works exactly the same.

The additional capabilities of WCM Commander are quite serious even for experienced user: editor with syntax highlighting for the most common programming languages ​​and the ability to change encodings, access to remote file systems via SMB and FTP/SFTP with the ability to launch files, history and input completion, support for external color schemes, etc.

The program is perfectly Russified, and much deeper than the interface points. In particular, the text search function allows you to use all Russian language encodings at once.

Distributed under the MIT license.

4 Vifm

Console file manager Vifm

This is a console file manager for Vim fans. Even the name of the program stands for this - Vi File Manager.

The main feature of vifm is vim-style controls. For example, to move through files, you can use not only the arrow keys, but also the "j" and "k" buttons, jump to last file current directory by pressing “G”, etc.

Vifm allows you to use directory and file labels to quickly navigate to the desired location by hotkey. Searching in vifm is done in the same way as in vim - by clicking on “/”. The application has its own built-in commands: “com” to display a list of custom commands, “marks” to show marks, “only” to hide the second column, etc.

Distributed under the terms of GNU GPLv2.

Sudo apt-get install vifm

5 Last File Manager

Console file manager LFM

This is an easy to use console file manager. By default, the program has a traditional two-panel view, although it can also work in single-panel mode.

Both externally and functionally, Last File Manager is very similar to Midnight Commander. At least, a user who has mastered one program will not have problems with another - the same keys are responsible for the most popular operations.

Distributed under the terms of GNU GPLv3.

Double Commander— two-panel file manager with open source code, working under Linux(GNOME, KDE environments), as well as in Microsoft Windows.
Double Commander - This is a cross-platform open source file manager, with two panels. The goal of this project is to create a file manager similar in functionality to Total Commander and compatible with its plugins.

Initially, the project was developed as a free alternative to the most popular file manager Total Commander. However, in the process of development, this manager has grown into a separate and powerful application that combines all the main functionality Total Commander(including support for its plugins), as well as some of its own special, convenient and useful options.



Program features

Unicode support.
All operations are performed in the background.
Bulk renaming tool.
Tabbed support.
Customizable speakers.
Built-in text editor(F4) with syntax highlighting.
Built-in file viewer (F3) to view files in hexadecimal, binary or text formats.
Working with archives is the same as with subdirectories; you can copy files to and from archives. Supported ZIP formats, tar (TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2), RPM, cpio, DEB, RAR.
Advanced file search, regular expressions when searching for files, including searching for text in any files.
Customizable toolbar with buttons to launch external programs or internal menu commands.
Support for WCX, WDX and WLX plugins from Total Commander.
Logging of file operations.

A version was released some time ago Double Commander 0.7.3 beta.

What's new in Double Commander 0.7.3?

Improvements in the program's operation
Bugs fixed

Installation Double Commander V Ubuntu/Linux Mint

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy and run this sequence of commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alexx2000/doublecmd
sudo apt update
sudo apt install doublecmd-gtk

Note. QT application option, so you need to install it if you have a desktop environment KDE.

For installation QT applications Double Commander run the following command in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install doublecmd-qt

After installation you will find Double Commander V Standard applications or search in the menu:

Console file managers Linux can be very useful in everyday tasks, when managing files on local computer or when connecting to a remote one. The visual representation of the directory helps us quickly perform operations with files and folders and saves us time.

In this article, we will look at some of the most commonly used Linux console file managers, their features and benefits.

Midnight Command, which is often called simply M.C., and is one of the best file managers discussed in this article. MC comes with all types useful functions In addition to copying, moving, deleting, creating files and directories, you can change access rights and ownership, view archives, use it as an FTP client and much more.


To install Midnight Commander you can use the following commands:

Sudo apt install mc # sudo yum install mc # sudo dnf install mc #

Ranger is another top choice if you are looking for a console file manager. He has vim-like interface, preview of selected file or directory, mouse support in bookmarks and tabbed view.


To install Ranger use the following commands:

Sudo apt install ranger # sudo yum install ranger # sudo dnf install ranger #

Cfiles is a fast terminal file manager written in C and using the library ncurses, similar to Ranger, and it also uses vi keyboard shortcuts.


It has several dependencies such as cp, mv, fzf, xdg-open and others. Although it is lightweight, installation requires a few more steps.

To install cfiles, you first need to install the development tools using the following commands:

Sudo apt-get install build-essential # sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools" #

Then clone the cfiles repository and install it using the following commands:

Git clone https://github.com/mananapr/cfiles.git cd cfiles gcc cf.c -lncurses -o cf sudo cp cf /usr/bin/ #Or copy it somewhere in your $PATH

Vifm- another file manager based on command line, using the curses interface. It copies some features from mutter. If you are a vim user, you don't need to learn a new set of commands to use vifm. It uses the same keyboard shortcuts and also has the ability to edit multiple types of files.

Like other console file managers, it has two panels and supports autofill. It also supports various views for comparing file trees. You can also execute remote commands with it.


To install Vifm use the following commands:

Sudo apt install vifm # sudo yum install vifm # sudo dnf install vifm #

Nnn- the fastest console file manager on our list. While it has fewer features compared to other file managers, it is extremely lightweight and the closest thing to a desktop file manager that you can get on a console. Simple interaction makes it easy for new users to get used to the terminal.


To install nnn you can use the following commands:

Sudo apt install nnn # sudo yum install nnn # sudo dnf install nnn #

Lfm or Last File Manager- console based file manager curses, written in Python 3.4. Can be used with one or two panels. It has several useful features such as filters, bookmarks, history, VFS for compressed files, tree structure and direct integration with search command, utility grep, team df and other tools. Custom themes are also available.


You can install Lfm using the following commands:

Sudo apt install lfm # sudo yum install lfm # sudo dnf install lfm # sudo pacman -S lfm #

You can also install Lfm using pip

Sudo pip install lfm

Lf – "List files" is a command line file manager written in Go, inspired by Ranger. It was originally intended to fill in the missing feature gaps that the Ranger had.


Some of the main features of lf:

  • This is cross-platform - Linux, OSX, Windows(only partially);
  • One binary file without any runtime dependencies;
  • Low memory capacity;
  • Configuration using shell commands;
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts.

To install lf, simply download the build associated with the binaries for your OS from the lf releases page.

Last on our list is , which is another cross-platform console file manager. The authors of WCM Commander intended to create a cross-platform file manager that emulates the functions of Far Manager.


It has a built-in terminal, built-in text editor and viewer, syntax highlighting, virtual file system and a very fast user interface. Mouse support is also included. The package for each OS can be found on the WCM download page.

Conclusion

This was our short presentation on some of the leading Linux console file managers. If you think we missed one or liked some of them better, please share your thoughts in the comments.

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A file manager is an integral element of every operating system. It allows you to fully interact with all files, directories and their dependencies located on the computer's storage device. This article will introduce the most popular Linux. The list will include both programs that have a graphical interface and console utilities that operate using the “Terminal” (analogous to the command line in Windows).

File managers with graphical interface

Of course, the most popular are Linux file managers that have a graphical shell, since they are more familiar to the average user and are much easier to use.

Linux distributions use a wide variety of managers, but there is simply no point in listing them all. The most popular of them will now be presented.

Nautilus

Probably the Linux file manager called Nautilus is the most common. And there is a completely reasonable explanation for this. It is used in distributions with the Gnome graphical desktop shell. In turn, Ubuntu is distributed on a modified Gnome, which is called Unix, and as you know, Ubuntu is the most popular distribution in the whole world and in the CIS in particular.

Nautilus compares favorably with its competitors for the following reasons:

    It has FTP, WebDAV (HTTPS), Windows, SSH and WebDAV (HTTP) connectivity.

    In the manager window, you can create tabs similar to browsers.

    There is support for scripts that can significantly expand the functionality of the program.

    The history of transitions is kept.

    Images, text, audio and video can be previewed.

    Supports bookmarks.

Many people believe that Nautilus is the best Linux file manager, but it would be wiser to try it yourself.

Nemo

The second Linux file manager in line will be Nemo. It deserves this position because it is used in the Cinnamon graphical shell, which is installed by default in Linux Mint, and this distribution is considered the second most popular.

The file manager in Linux Mint has the following distinctive features:

    Uses GIO and GVFS.

    It is possible to open directories with superuser rights.

    Features a terminal stand design.

    Convenient and “correct” management of GTK bookmarks.

    The interface is equipped with a large number of buttons that help in navigating disk space.

    There is support for several configuration options.

Of course, this is not the entire list of advantages, only the main ones, but they are enough for the reader to form his own opinion. By the way, this particular manager is recommended to users who have just decided to switch from Windows to Linux, since their managers are very similar to each other.

Dolphin

The next Linux file manager is Dolphin. It is standard for the KDE desktop. It will not be possible to provide the original distribution with this desktop shell, since KDE is a separate development. However, users can easily install any distribution, such as Ubuntu, with this desktop shell.

Compared to previous managers, Dolphin does not stand out much, but it also has its own characteristics:

    Access to Web resources.

    Support for undoing and redoing (CTRL+Z) completed actions.

    Ability to use multiple tabs.

    Using a variety of panels.

If you liked this “exhibit”, then you urgently need to switch to the KDE working environment, and in the meantime we are moving on and moving on to console file managers.

Console file managers

The popularity of console file managers is no longer what it used to be. They are used less and less, but they should not be discounted. Some can surprise you with their functions. Of course, their appearance is not as nice as that of managers with a GUI, but everyone has different tastes.

Midnight Commander

Midnight Commander, or MC as it is briefly called, is the first console file manager for Linux. And as many have noticed, our list is a kind of TOP.

MC is the most popular console manager. It gained recognition due to its simplicity and convenience. Its functionality includes many buttons located at the bottom of the console window, but its main advantage is the ability to control the mouse. Not every manager can boast of this option. Among other things, MC is a two-panel Linux file manager, but almost every console version of this utility has this function.

As for the features, they are as follows:

    Possibility of mass renaming of files.

    Individual option templates are supported.

    You can view the contents of DEB and RMP packages.

    Ability to interact with archives.

    There is a built-in text editor MCedit.

    Ability to work in FISH and FTP clients.

If you want to use a console file manager, then MC is a great choice. However, MC has good competitors in the market for these programs, one of which will be discussed below.

Last File Manager

LFM is practically no different from MC, so there is no point in describing its advantages. Now we will briefly go over its distinctive features.

    It is possible to change the view (single-panel and double-panel).

    You can work with archives - VFM treats them as regular directories.

    There is an option to compare files.

    There is a history-type activity log in browsers.

    It is possible to create bookmarks.

    You can change the color.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many Linux file managers. There is like with graphical interface, and console ones. It's up to you to choose which one to use. And this article is intended to only superficially touch upon the features of each program in order to make it easier to make a choice.

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