Vifm vs lf (file manager)

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

Vifm is a File Management solution with tags like terminal, vim, keyboard-shortcuts, dual-panel, file-manager.

It boasts features such as Dual panel layout for easy file comparisons, Extensive keyboard shortcuts, Vim-like keybindings, Color schemes support, Built-in viewer and editor and pros including Lightweight and fast, Highly customizable, Good for power users familiar with Vim.

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	Vifm	lf (file manager)
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	File Management	File Management

Product Overview

Vifm

Description: Vifm is a lightweight, fast and highly customizable terminal file manager. It features dual panel layout for easy file comparisons, extensive keyboard shortcuts,Vim-like keybindings, color schemes support and built-in viewer and editor.

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

Vifm Features

• Dual panel layout for easy file comparisons
• Extensive keyboard shortcuts
• Vim-like keybindings
• Color schemes support
• Built-in viewer and editor

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

Vifm

Pros

• Lightweight and fast
• Highly customizable
• Good for power users familiar with Vim

Cons

• Steep learning curve for new users
• Terminal based so no GUI
• Limited features compared to GUI file managers

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

Vifm

• Open Source

lf (file manager)

• Open Source
• Free