Midnight Commander vs lf (file manager)

Struggling to choose between Midnight Commander and lf (file manager)? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Midnight Commander is a File Management solution with tags like file-manager, shell, unix, visual-interface.

It boasts features such as Two panel interface for easy file management, Built-in text editor and file viewer, Shell access from within the program, Navigation via keyboard shortcuts, Support for archives like tar and zip, Plugin system for extensibility, Available for Linux, BSD, and other Unix-like systems and pros including Lightweight and fast, Very efficient for power users, No mouse needed for navigation, Extensible via plugins, Cross-platform - works on many Unix systems.

On the other hand, lf (file manager) is a File Management product tagged with terminal, file-manager, lightweight, fast, customizable, userfriendly, go-language.

Its standout features include Native Go bindings for speed, Customizable colors and themes, File previews and thumbnails, Keyboard shortcuts and quick navigation, Plugins and extensibility via Lua, Tabs for managing multiple directories, Built-in text editor and file viewer, and it shines with pros like Very fast and lightweight, Highly customizable appearance, Powerful keyboard-driven workflow, Good for advanced terminal users, Extensible via plugins, Actively developed and maintained.

Feature	Midnight Commander	lf (file manager)
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	File Management	File Management

Product Overview

Midnight Commander

Description: Midnight Commander is a visual file manager and shell for Unix-like systems. It allows you to easily manage files and folders, copy/move files, view file contents, and run shell commands. Useful for power users who want an efficient file manager.

lf (file manager)

Description: lf is a terminal file manager written in Go. It is lightweight, customizable, and aims to be fast and user-friendly. Some key features are native Go bindings, icons, previews, contextual color themes, plugins, and more.

Key Features Comparison

Midnight Commander Features

• Two panel interface for easy file management
• Built-in text editor and file viewer
• Shell access from within the program
• Navigation via keyboard shortcuts
• Support for archives like tar and zip
• Plugin system for extensibility
• Available for Linux, BSD, and other Unix-like systems

lf (file manager) Features

• Native Go bindings for speed
• Customizable colors and themes
• File previews and thumbnails
• Keyboard shortcuts and quick navigation
• Plugins and extensibility via Lua
• Tabs for managing multiple directories
• Built-in text editor and file viewer

Pros & Cons Analysis

Midnight Commander

Pros

• Lightweight and fast
• Very efficient for power users
• No mouse needed for navigation
• Extensible via plugins
• Cross-platform - works on many Unix systems

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Not as intuitive as GUI file managers
• Limited support for non-Unix systems

lf (file manager)

Pros

• Very fast and lightweight
• Highly customizable appearance
• Powerful keyboard-driven workflow
• Good for advanced terminal users
• Extensible via plugins
• Actively developed and maintained

Cons

• Terminal only (no GUI version)
• Steep learning curve for beginners
• Limited built-in features compared to GUI file managers
• Not many graphical file previews
• Plugin ecosystem still developing

Pricing Comparison

Midnight Commander

• Open Source

lf (file manager)

• Open Source
• Free