CliFM – shell-like, command line terminal file manager

CliFM is a Command Line Interface File Manager: all input and interaction is performed via commands. This is its main feature and strength.

It replaces the traditional TUI interface (also known as curses or text-menu based interface) by a command-line interface (CLI),

This is free and open source software.

Key Features

• Specific:
  • Really CLI-based. No GUI nor TUI at all, but just a command-line.
  • It can run on the kernel built-in console and even on a SSH or any other remote session.
  • Highly compatible with old VT102-only terminal emulators like Rxvt and Rxvt-based ones: even on a terminal with only 8 colors and no Unicode support, clifm will just work. It can run even on an old DEC-VT100 terminal!
  • High performance. Incredibly lightweight and fast even on really old hardware.
  • Short (and even one-character) commands.
  • Entry list numbers (ELN’s) for file names.
  • Extended color codes for file-types and -extensions.
  • Files counter for directories and symlinks to directories.
  • Privacy: Zero data collection and no connection to the outside world at all.
  • Security: Secure environment and secure commands.
• Navigation and file operations:
  • Bookmarks.
  • File tags.
  • File filters.
  • Files selection (supports both glob and regular expressions and works even across multiple instances of the program).
  • Files search (supports both glob and regular expressions).
  • copy(-as), move(-as), interactive rename, and open-with functions.
  • File names cleaner.
  • Autocommands.
  • Auto-cd, auto-open, and autols.
  • Directory jumper, similar to autojump, z.lua, and zoxide.
  • Virtual directories.
  • Fastback function.
  • Backdir – Quickly change to a parent directory.
  • A built-in resource opener (supports regular expressions and is able to discern between GUI and non-GUI environments).
  • A built-in Freedesktop-compliant trash system.
  • Up to eight workspaces.
  • Eleven sorting methods.
  • Bulk operations: rename, create, remove, and create symbolik links in bulk.
  • Files encryption/decryption (plugin).
  • Copy files to your smart phone (plugin).
  • Archiving and compression support (including Zstandard and ISO 9660).
  • Symlinks editor.
  • Remote file systems management.
  • Mount/unmount storage devices.
  • Advanced Copy support (just cp and mv with a nice progress bar).
  • Directory history map to keep in sight previous, current, and next entries in the directory history list.
• Shell:
  • Auto-suggestions.
  • TAB completion, with fzf integration.
  • Syntax highlighting.
  • Warning prompt for invalid command names.
  • Fused parameters for ELN’s.
  • Fuzzy completion for file names and paths.
  • Wildcards expansion via TAB.
  • File types expansion via TAB.
  • Bash-like quoting system.
  • Shell commands execution.
  • Sequential and conditional commands execution.
  • Directory and commands history.
  • Glob and regular expressions (including inverse matching).
  • Aliases.
  • Logs.
  • Prompt and profile commands (run commands with each new prompt or at program startup).
• Modes:
  • Stealth mode: Leave no trace on the host system. No file is read, no file is written.
  • Light mode (just in case it is not fast enough for you).
  • Resource opener.
  • Disk usage analyzer mode.
  • Files lister (ls-mode).
• Customization:
  • User profiles.
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
  • Theming support (more than a dozen color schemes).
  • Prompt customization.
  • Four customizable keybindings for custom plugins.
  • Compile features in/out.
• Misc:
  • Plugins.
  • File previews (via BFG, a native file previewer, but including support for Ranger’s scope.sh and pistol as well).
  • Icons support, including emoji-icons
  • Git integration.
  • Desktop notifications.
  • Unicode support.
  • Disk usage.
  • CD on quit and file picker functions.
  • A built-in pager for files listing.
  • Read and list files from STDIN (standard input).

Website: github.com/leo-arch/clifm/wiki
Support: GitHub Code Repository
Developer: L. Abramovich
License: GNU General Public License v2.0

CliFM is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.

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