File Managers

sff – lightweight terminal file manager with extensible file operations

sff (simple file finder) is a lightweight terminal file manager inspired by nnn and guided by the suckless philosophy. It focuses on efficient file navigation while keeping the core application small and straightforward.

The program separates file browsing from file manipulation. Its core provides directory navigation and file selection, while external shell scripts implement operations such as copying, moving, deleting, and renaming files.

This approach makes sff highly extensible without requiring a large collection of built-in utilities. Users can integrate their preferred shell commands and customise how the application handles different operations.

The interface supports multiple tabs, file selections across directories, and flexible searching. It is particularly suitable for users who prefer a minimal terminal interface but still require more advanced file management capabilities.

This is free and open source software.

Key Features

  • Keyboard-driven file navigation with a compact curses interface.
  • Extensible file operations implemented through shell scripts.
  • Custom commands and plugins for extending file management functionality.
  • Multiple tabs for navigating separate directories.
  • File selection across different directories for batch operations.
  • Type-to-navigate functionality for locating entries quickly.
  • Recursive searching through integration with find.
  • Fuzzy file searching through integration with fzf.
  • Batch file and directory creation.
  • Batch renaming of selected files.
  • Undo and redo support for the last file operation.
  • Temporary sudo mode for operations requiring elevated privileges.
  • Archive listing, extraction, and creation through external utilities.
  • Configurable file detail columns, including size, permissions, ownership, and timestamps.
  • Sorting options with configurable case sensitivity.
  • Show or hide hidden files and directories.
  • Customisable keyboard shortcuts and colours through source configuration.
  • Built-in help for core commands and external operations.
  • Cross-platform support – runs on Linux and FreeBSD.

Website: codeberg.org/sylphenix/sff
Support:
Developer: Shi Yanling
License: BSD 2-Clause ‘Simplified’ License

sff in action

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


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Read our verdict in the software roundup.


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