nnn/README.md
Arun Prakash Jana 30b5b0ed72
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2019-10-01 05:08:21 +05:30

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nnn - type less, do more, way faster

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navigate-as-you-type & du (click to see demo video)

Introduction

nnn is a full-featured terminal file manager. It's tiny, extremely light and fast.

nnn is also a disk usage analyzer, a fuzzy app launcher, a batch file renamer and a file picker. The plugin repository has 30+ plugins to extend the capabilities further. There's an independent (neo)vim plugin.

It runs smoothly on the Raspberry Pi, Termux on Android, Linux, macOS, BSD, Cygwin and Linux subsystem for Windows. nnn works seamlessly with DEs and GUI utilities. It's nearly zero-config (with sensible defaults) and can be setup in less than 5 minutes.

Add to that an awesome Wiki!

Features

  • Modes
    • Light (default), detail
    • Disk usage analyzer (block/apparent)
    • File picker, (neo)vim plugin
  • Navigation
    • Navigate-as-you-type with dir auto-select
    • Contexts (aka tabs/workspaces) with configurable colors
    • Bookmarks; pin and visit a directory
    • Familiar shortcuts (arrows, ~, -, @) with quick reference
    • CD on quit (easy shell integration)
  • Sorting
    • Ordered pure numeric names by default (visit /proc)
    • Case-insensitive version (aka natural) sort
    • By file name, modification/access time, size, extension
  • Search
    • Instant filtering with search-as-you-type
    • Regex and substring match
    • Subtree search to open or edit files (using plugin)
  • Mimes
    • Open with desktop opener or specify a custom app
    • Create, list, extract archives
    • Option to open all text files in EDITOR
  • Information
    • Detailed file information
    • Media information (using plugin)
  • Convenience
    • Lots of plugins with configurable keybinds
    • FreeDesktop compliant trash (needs trash-cli)
    • SSHFS mounts (needs sshfs)
    • Cross-directory file selection, all/range selection
    • Batch rename selection or dir entries
    • Copy, move, delete, archive, link selection
    • Create, rename, duplicate files and directories
    • Spawn a shell, run apps, run commands, execute file
    • Lock terminal (needs a locker)
  • Minimal deps, minimal config
  • Widely available
  • Unicode support
  • Follows Linux kernel coding style
  • Highly optimized, static analysis integrated code

Quickstart

  1. Install the utilities you may need based on your regular workflows.
  2. Configure cd on quit.
  3. Optionally open all text files in $EDITOR (fallback vi): export NNN_USE_EDITOR=1
  4. For additional functionality install plugins and the GUI app launcher nlaunch.

Notes:

  1. Don't memorize keys. Arrows, / and q suffice. Press ? for help on keyboard shortcuts anytime.
  2. To set nnn as the default file manager, follow these instructions.

Installation

Library dependencies

A curses library with wide char support (e.g. ncursesw), libreadline (make norl to drop) and standard libc.

Utility dependencies

Dependency Installation Operation
xdg-open (Linux), open(1) (macOS), cygstart (Cygwin) base desktop opener
file, coreutils (cp, mv, rm), findutils (xargs) base file type, copy, move and remove
tar, (un)zip [atool/bsdtar for more formats] base create, list, extract tar, gzip, bzip2, zip
sshfs, fusermount(3) optional mount, unmount over SSHFS
trash-cli optional trash files (default action: delete)
vlock (Linux), bashlock (macOS), lock(1) (BSD) optional terminal locker (fallback: cmatrix)
advcpmv (Linux) (integration) optional copy, move progress
$VISUAL (else $EDITOR), $PAGER, $SHELL optional fallback vi, less, sh

From a package manager

Install nnn from your package manager. If the version available is dated try an alternative installation method.

Packaging status (expand)


Packaging status

Unlisted distros:


● CentOS (yum --enablerepo=epel install nnn)
Milis Linux (mps kur nnn)
NuTyX (cards install nnn)
Source Mage (cast nnn)

Release packages

Packages for Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu are auto-generated with the latest stable release.

From source

Download the latest stable release or clone this repository (risky), install deps and compile. On Ubuntu 16.04:

$ sudo apt-get install pkg-config libncursesw5-dev libreadline6-dev
$ make
$ sudo make strip install

PREFIX is supported, in case you want to install to a different location.

Visit the developer guides for compilation notes on the Pi, Cygwin and other compilation modes.

Shell completion

Completion scripts for Bash, Fish and Zsh are available. Refer to your shell's manual for installation instructions.

Usage

Configuration

There is no config file. Associated files are stored under ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/nnn/.

nnn supports the following optional (set if you need) environment variables.

Example export Description
NNN_BMS='d:~/Documents;D:~/Docs archive/' key-bookmark pairs [max 10]
NNN_PLUG='o:fzy-open;p:mocplay;m:nmount;t:thumb' key-plugin pairs (:key to run) [max 10]
NNN_USE_EDITOR=1 open text files in $VISUAL (else $EDITOR, fallback vi)
NNN_CONTEXT_COLORS='1234' specify per context color [default: '4444' (all blue)]
NNN_SSHFS_OPTS='sshfs -o reconnect,idmap=user' specify SSHFS options
NNN_OPENER=mimeopen custom file opener
NNN_IDLE_TIMEOUT=300 idle seconds to lock terminal [default: disabled]
NNN_COPIER=copier clipboard copier script [default: none]
NNN_TRASH=1 trash files to the desktop Trash [default: delete]

Cmdline options

usage: nnn [OPTIONS] [PATH]

The missing terminal file manager for X.

positional args:
  PATH   start dir [default: .]

optional args:
 -a      use access time
 -b key  open bookmark key
 -d      detail mode
 -f      run filter as cmd on prompt key
 -H      show hidden files
 -i      nav-as-you-type mode
 -n      version sort
 -o      press Enter to open files
 -p file selection file (stdout if '-')
 -r      show cp, mv progress on Linux
 -s      string filters [default: regex]
 -S      du mode
 -t      disable dir auto-select
 -v      show version
 -h      show help

Keyboard and mouse

The list below is from the dev branch. Press ? in nnn to see the keybinds in your installed version.

 NAVIGATION
          ↑ k  Up          PgUp ^U  Scroll up
          ↓ j  Down        PgDn ^D  Scroll down
          ← h  Parent dir  ~ ` @ -  HOME, /, start, last
        ↵ → l  Open file/dir     .  Toggle show hidden
         g ^A  First entry    G ^E  Last entry
            b  Pin current dir  ^B  Go to pinned dir
       Tab ^I  Next context      d  Toggle detail view
         , ^/  Lead key    N LeadN  Context N
            /  Filter/Lead  Ins ^T  Toggle nav-as-you-type
          Esc  Exit prompt   ^L F5  Redraw/clear prompt
            ?  Help, config  Lead'  First file
         Q ^Q  Quit  ^G  QuitCD  q  Quit context
 FILES
           ^O  Open with...      n  Create new/link
            D  File detail   ^R F2  Rename/duplicate
     ⎵ ^J / a  Sel entry/all     r  Batch rename
         m ^S  Sel range, clear  M  List selection
            P  Copy selection    X  Delete selection
            V  Move selection   ^X  Delete entry
            f  Create archive    C  Execute entry
           ^F  Extract archive   F  List archive
            e  Edit in EDITOR    p  Open in PAGER
 ORDER TOGGLES
            A  Apparent du       S  du
            s  Size    E  Extn   t  Time
 MISC
         ! ^]  Shell             =  Launcher
         R ^V  Pick plugin   :K xK  Run plugin key K
            c  SSHFS mount       u  Unmount
           ^P  Prompt/run cmd    L  Lock

Notes:

  1. Help & settings, file details and archive listing are shown in the $PAGER.
  2. To change shortcuts modify key bindings in nnn.h and compile.
Mouse click Function
Left single on context number Visit context
Left single on top row after context numbers Visit parent
Left single/double on last 2 rows Toggle nav-as-you-type
Left single Select context or entry
Left double Select context or open entry

Leader key

The Leader/Lead key provides a powerful multi-functional navigation mechanism. It is case-sensitive and understands contexts, bookmarks and location shortcuts.

Key Function
1-4 Go to/create selected context
] Go to next active context
[ Go to previous active context
key Go to bookmarked location
' Go to first file in directory
~ ` @ - Visit HOME, /, start, last visited dir
. Toggle show hidden files

When the filter is on, / works as an additional Leader key.

Help

$ nnn -h
$ man nnn

To lookup keyboard shortcuts at runtime, press ?.

Mentions

Developers

  • Copyright © 2016-2019 Arun Prakash Jana
  • Copyright © 2014-2016 Lazaros Koromilas
  • Copyright © 2014-2016 Dimitris Papastamos

Contributions are welcome. Head to the ToDo list.