File Managers

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.

Features include:

  • 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 smirk
    • 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

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

Return to File Managers | Return to Console File Managers


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