File managers for Linux

Working with files in Linux is like tidying up a large closet. Of course, you can open the drawers one by one manually, but it is much more convenient and faster to have a good organizer at hand. This is exactly what file managers do. They turn the routine of copying, moving, and searching for files into a simple and intuitive process.

Unlike Windows Explorer, Linux offers a huge selection of such programs. There is no single standard option, and that's a big advantage. Everyone can find the tool that suits them best: from simple and minimalistic to powerful and feature-rich.

Some managers work directly in the terminal, which will be appreciated by fans of the keyboard and speed. Others have a modern graphical interface with tabs, panels, and built-in tools for viewing archives or connecting to servers. Whatever style of work you prefer, there is a suitable option for you.

Dolphin

The list of file managers begins with a tool called Dolphin. Currently, you automatically receive it when installing the KDE shell, meaning it is officially used there as the default FM. If you are already familiar with the KDE graphical shell, you know that Konqueror was previously used there, also serving as a browser. Many users complained that this software was too complicated for novice users, and it is precisely this group that uses FM most often, refusing to work through the console. As a result, Dolphin has been the main component of the aforementioned shell for more than ten years.

The previous method for troubleshooting Sims 2 startup issues already mentioned the .NET Framework package, but that method installed an older version of this software on the system. At the same time, we recommend installing the latest build in Windows 10 by downloading it from the official Microsoft website. Up to 40,000 rubles. sudo apt install dolphin. If the distribution does not allow you to use such commands, please visit the official FM website by following the link below.

Go to download Dolphin from the official website

Double Commander

The name of the Double Commander file manager speaks for itself — it is implemented in the form of two panels. While some graphical interfaces allow the user to choose the split option, here it is activated by default, which makes it more comfortable when working with various objects for long periods of time. This FM is not used as standard in any distribution, but is distributed free of charge on the official website. Any user can enter a command to install it or download the archive from the official website. The transition to this file manager is carried out after entering doublecmd in the console.

Let's talk about the main features of this solution. In addition to two panels, Double Commander supports Unicode, which means that there will be no problems with displaying file, directory, and program names, since this technology is responsible for supporting characters from virtually all languages in the world. As for performing operations, everything is done in the background, so it is hidden from the eyes of the average user. There is a built-in text editor, a file viewer for various formats, such as binary, and the ability to open various images. For interacting with libraries, Double Commander offers batch renaming, tab support, column editing, and directory synchronization. More experienced users will be interested in console archiver support and the ability to use Lua scripts. If you are interested in installing Double Commander on your computer, use one of the sources listed below.

• Official repository: sudo apt install doublecmd-qt or sudo apt install doublecmd-gtk;
• User repositories:

  wget -nv https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:Alexx2000/xUbuntu_18.10/Release.key -O Release.key

  sudo apt-key add - < Release.key

  sudo sh -c “echo ‘deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/Alexx2000/xUbuntu_18.04/ /’ > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:Alexx2000.list”

  sudo apt-get update

  sudo apt install doublecmd-qt5, sudo apt upgrade in Windows 10/11, open

• Archive from the official website.

Download Pitivi from the official website

GNOME Commander

Shotcut

“Iriun Webcam”

1. In Windows 10/11, open
2. For automatic connection recovery. for browser sources, try opening the camera address in a regular browser — if the image is displayed there, the problem is in the OBS settings. When using NDI, check that the correct device is selected in the source list — sometimes several options with similar names appear.;
3. A black screen instead of an image from your phone is a common problem caused by incorrect security settings, software conflicts, or driver issues. When using a browser source for IP Webcam, make sure the URL is entered correctly and that the phone is accessible on the network. For applications that create virtual cameras, the problem is often related to antivirus blocking or the lack of necessary permissions in the system.

— The connection will be established automatically. When using Wi-Fi, make sure that the devices are connected to the same network. The application will automatically detect the computer with the driver installed. In the application, select the desired resolution — from 480p to save traffic to 4K for maximum quality with sufficient bandwidth.

If you right-click on “Data Usage” in the “Network & Internet” section and then select “Pin to Start,” a tile will appear in the Start menu showing the traffic usage of various connections. Traffic restriction for Internet connections.

“IPhone (NDI HX Camera)”

Krusader is one of the most advanced file managers available. Of course, it can be split into two panels, but that's not its main advantage. It was developed almost twenty years ago with one goal in mind: to create an alternative to Total Commander for Linux, since at that time there was no software for managing objects. Over many years of development, the creators have managed to turn Krusader into an advanced FM that supports mountable file systems, allows you to view and edit text through a built-in tool, synchronizes directories, compares files by content, and allows you to manage all elements present in the system in every way.

In addition, Krusader has a built-in archive management tool and allows you to set a huge number of custom hotkeys. Experienced users will appreciate the ability to mount partitions, perform bulk renaming using masks, and will also like the built-in terminal emulator. Krusader has many versions, each with its own unique features. You can find more detailed information about all these options on the official website by following this link. Additionally, below you will find commands for installing Krusader in a graphical shell.

Go to the official website to download Krusader

Nautilus

The most popular Linux operating system distribution, called Ubuntu, is now released under the GNOME graphical shell. The Nautilus file manager is the official application for this desktop environment and is therefore included with it during OS installation. It has everything that a regular and advanced user might need. If you are just switching from Windows and want to simplify your interaction with Linux as much as possible by reducing the number of terminal calls to a minimum, Nautilus is exactly the solution you should be interested in.

↑ Processor

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install nautilus

Linux is not a problem for video editing: today there are decent video editors for various tasks. Beginners can start with simple and easy-to-understand programs like OpenShot or Kdenlive, while those who want more control will appreciate the power of Shotcut or DaVinci Resolve, especially when working with high-quality video. Many of them are free, actively developed, and can handle directing, color correction, and exporting to the desired format. So even without Windows or macOS, it is quite possible to put together a decent video on Linux.

Next, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the graphical interface for managing files in the operating system, called MuCommander. This FM, like many others, is also presented in a two-panel view, which many users have long been accustomed to. The program was written entirely in Java, so be prepared to add Java Runtime Environment elements to your distribution before installation. The menu items and all other content of this software have been translated into Russian, which will allow beginners to quickly understand how to use it. This version is mainly aimed at experienced users, which we will discuss in detail in the next paragraph when we talk about its advantages and disadvantages. Now let's take a look at the MuCommander window to explore its interface.

Download WinISO Standard

When discussing the previous archiver called IZArc, we talked about the ability to convert images to other formats. WinISO Standard also has this feature, and it works in much the same way. Otherwise, WinISO Standard is practically no different from its counterparts, except for the lack of a Russian language interface. This software is distributed for a fee, and we strongly recommend that you try the trial version before purchasing to make sure that this tool is right for you.

PowerISO

PowerISO is the most common type of software distributed for a fee. If you look at the screenshot below, you will notice that in terms of basic tools and appearance, PowerISO is almost identical to the analogues discussed above, so we will not even dwell on its basic functionality. We will only note the ability to compress files, which is not present in all of the programs discussed in today's article.

Regular PCManFM users may also be interested. Drag & Drop functionality is fully implemented here, so there will be no problems moving objects around. Another new feature is the recycle bin, which allows you to store files until they are permanently deleted. It should be noted that many file managers do not have this feature, and objects are immediately deleted forever. You can configure object associations, which allows you to select the default program for opening them. Flexible configuration of the main window and the application system menu allows you to personalize the shell to suit any requirements. The advantages of Drag & Drop could be listed at length, so we have focused only on the most important ones. We invite you to learn more about FM on the developers' website.

Thunar

Another classic file manager that is installed in the graphical shell. Thunar was originally designed for Xfce, replacing Xffm. When creating it, the developers focused on performance and ease of use. They added the ability to install custom plugins to maximize the functionality of the FM. If you look at the screenshot below, you will notice that Thunar is very similar to the Nautilus solution mentioned earlier. This makes it even easier for beginners to understand. Since its release in 2009, Thunar has progressed from version 1.0.0 to 1.8.1, which was released in 2018. The developers are still actively working on this program, releasing more and more useful innovations.

Thunar has all the standard options we mentioned above, but we would like to highlight the ability to change file owners, which helps when configuring access levels without using the console. Other features worth mentioning include automatic mounting of removable media and the display of file copy or deletion speeds, which was added not so long ago. In addition to user plugins, the developers offer proprietary ones. Let's briefly describe the main ones:

FM is only available to Xfce shell users by default and cannot be installed separately.

Go to the official Thunar website

Sunflower

Sunflower is a fairly standard file manager that was written entirely in the well-known Python programming language. It is distributed free of charge and is open source. PyGTK and Python-gnome are used here to draw the graphical interface, VTE is a terminal emulator, and the Python-notify library is responsible for displaying notifications. As for the standard Python syntax, it acts as an interpreter in Sunflower.

This FM supports a multi-tab interface, and the window itself is implemented as two panels. From the information above, you already know that there is a built-in terminal emulator here. The Drag & Drop function is fully implemented, allowing you to interact with files without any difficulty, and the developers also allow you to create keyboard shortcuts to simplify complex actions. If Sunflower's functionality seems insufficient, you can download supported user plugins. This file manager is distributed as an archive, DEB, or RPM package. All of this is available for download on the official website.

Go to the official website to download Sunflower

XFE

Let's briefly look at another simple FM, whose developers, in their own words, emphasize low system resource consumption. If you are interested in flexible appearance customization, then XFE is definitely worth paying attention to. It also implements a drag-and-drop feature, which is missing in some other representatives of this material. XFE also has a Russian interface and built-in commands for mounting disks and images.

Let's take a look at an example of installing XFE as the default file manager in Debian. Let's say you have Nautilus installed. Then you will need to do the following:

sudo nano /usr/share/applications/nautilus-home.desktop
sudo nano /usr/share/applications/nautilus-computer.desktop

When you open the text editor, replace the fields TryExec=nautilus and Exec=nautilus to TryExec=XFE and Exec=XFE. The same is done in the path /usr/share/applications/nautilus-folder-handler.desktop, but the final change will be TryExec=XFE and Exec=XFE %U. Official repositories are used to install XFE. For more details, refer to the documentation for your distribution.

Ultimately, choosing a file manager in Linux is largely a matter of personal taste and habit. There is no single correct option that would suit absolutely everyone. The main advantage of Linux is precisely this freedom of choice.

The best way to find your ideal tool is to try several of them. Install a couple of different managers and work with each one for a couple of days. One may seem more logical to you, another faster, and a third more attractive. Your own hands and eyes will tell you which one is most comfortable for you to work with.

Regardless of your choice, you will get a powerful tool for managing your system. Once you master even one of them, you will discover a much more efficient way of interacting with files than the standard “explorer”. So feel free to experiment and find what makes your work more comfortable.