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
cpandmvwith 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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