File Managers

FileRunner – two pane file manager

Last Updated on March 4, 2026

FileRunner is a two pane file manager for Unix and Unix like systems. It is simple and efficient and has a built-in FTP and SFTP client. It also does a reasonable (and improving) job on Windows systems. New and improved from a FileRunner of long ago.

In the FileRunner window there are two file listing panels, side by side. They are equivalent in function, but one will act as “source” panel and the other “destination”. To make one panel the “source” panel, you just select files in a panel and that panel becomes “source”. The opposite panel becomes “destination”. The source and destination panels are then used in the commands. To copy a few files or directories, just select the files and directories in the left or the right panel and press the Copy button, the files/directories will then be copied into the opposite panel.

This is free and open source software.

Website: sourceforge.net/projects/filerunner
Support:
Developer: Henrik Harmsen, Tom Turkey
License: GNU General Public License version 3.0

FileRunner in action
Click image for full size

FileRunner is written in Tcl. Learn Tcl with our recommended free books and free tutorials.


Related Software

Orthodox File Managers
KrusaderAdvanced twin panel (commander style) file manager for KDE
Midnight CommanderUser-friendly yet powerful text-mode file manager and visual shell
Double CommanderInspired by Total Commander
RangerFile manager with an ncurses frontend written in Python
GNOME CommanderBuilt on the GTK-toolkit and GnomeVFS
XfeVery similar to Windows Explorer but with twin panes
muCommanderLightweight, cross-platform file manager
File CommanderTotal Commander-like orthodox file manager
SunflowerSmall and highly customizable twin-panel file manager
trolCommanderFork of muCommander
FileRunnerSimple and efficient file manager written in Tcl
Tux CommanderUses the old GTK2 windowing toolkit
WorkerIn the style of the Amiga's DirOpus
WCMCommanderMimicking the look-n-feel of Far Manager
gentooTwo-pane file manager
emelFM2Orthodox file manager using GTK+ 2

Read our verdict in the software roundup.


Best Free and Open Source Software Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.

This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk.

You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more.

Know a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments