nnn - type less, do more, way faster

navigate-as-you-type & du analyzer mode (click on the image for a demo video)

Index

• Introduction
• Features
• Quickstart
• Installation
  • Library dependencies
  • Utility dependencies
  • From a package manager
  • Release packages
  • From source
  • Shell completion
• Usage
  • Configuration
  • Cmdline options
  • Keyboard and mouse
  • Leader key
  • Help
• Mentions
• Developers

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. 30+ plugins extend the capabilities further. Custom plugins are easy to add.

If you prefer a lightweight system or productivity-boosting utilities, nnn is a delight to have. It's nearly zero-config (with sensible defaults) and can be setup in less than 5 minutes.

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.

Important links

1. Wiki: operational concepts, how tos, use cases, chronology and insights
2. Performance numbers
3. Plugin repository and docs
4. (neo)vim plugin
5. nnn on Android

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
• Available on many package managers
• Unicode support
• Follows Linux kernel coding style
• Highly optimized, static analysis integrated code

Quickstart

While we strongly advise reading this page and the wiki, if you can't wait to start:

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 character support (like ncursesw), libreadline and standard libc. It's possible to drop libreadline using the Makefile target norl.

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)	if needed	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 from Repology (expand)

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

nnn supports the following environment variables for configuration. All of them are optional (set if you need). There is no config file. Associated files are stored under ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/nnn/.

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 (x-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 [-a] [-b key] [-d] [-f] [-H] [-i] [-n] [-o]
           [-p file] [-r] [-s] [-S] [-t] [-v] [-h] [PATH]

The missing terminal file manager for X.

positional args:
  PATH   start dir [default: current dir]

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

Press ? in nnn to see the list anytime.

 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
            q  Quit context  Lead'  First file
         Q ^Q  Quit  ^G  QuitCD  ?  Help, config
 FILES
           ^O  Open with...      n  Create new/link
            D  File detail   ^R F2  Rename/duplicate
     ⎵ ^K / Y  Select entry/all  r  Batch rename
         K ^Y  Toggle selection  y  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
            S  du                A  Apparent du
            s  Size    E  Extn   t  Time modified
 MISC
         ! ^]  Shell             =  Launcher
         R ^V  Pick plugin   :K xK  Run plugin key K
            c  SSHFS mount       u  Unmount
           ^P  Prompt/run expr   L  Lock

Note: Help & settings, file details and archive listing are shown in the PAGER.

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
~ ` @ -	Go to HOME, /, start, last visited dir
.	Toggle show hidden files
q	Quit context

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

Help

$ nnn -h
$ man nnn

To lookup keyboard shortcuts at runtime, press ?.

Mentions

• FOSSMint
• Hacker News 1
• Hacker News 2
• It's FOSS
• LinuxLinks1
• LinuxLinks2
• Suckless Rocks
• Ubuntu Full Circle Magazine - Issue 135

Developers

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

Contributions are welcome. Head to the ToDo list.