When comparing Double Commander vs Krusader, the Slant community recommends Double Commander for most people. In the question“What are the best file managers for UNIX-like systems?” Double Commander is ranked 4th while Krusader is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose Double Commander is:
You can use same tool in all desktop OS environments.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Multi-platform (Linux, Windows, MacOS X)
You can use same tool in all desktop OS environments.
Pro Source code is available (true free software)
If the developer loses interest there is at least the possibility that someone else will pick up the torch.
Pro Configurable
Lots of options allow you to configure DC the way it suits you best: Tools, Fonts, Colors, Hotkeys, Mouse, Fileviews, Plugins, Layout, Toolbars, Tabs, Icons etc.
Pro Directory Hotlist
Save shortcuts to folders. Organize them in a treeview with submenus. Define a name and sorting for each entry.
Pro Powerful tcmd-like search tool (alt+F7)
Pro tcmd-like multi-rename tool (CTRL+M)
Pro DC uses TCmd plugin API
so you can use documentation from Total Commander for writing plugins. WCX (packer), WDX (content), WFX (file system), WLX (lister).
Pro Closely follows TotalCommander UX
For instance, the 'Settings | Layout' pane is quasi-identical to TCs.
Pro Very sophisticated
Although it is lightweight and simple to use, it can do very sophisticated tasks, like copying files from directories which have a certain extension or file size or have a certain text pattern in them. Also, it's very customizable and stable.
Pro It's that good, you can replace tcmd on windows too
Pro Source code written in (Object) PASCAL
It's all a matter of perspective. I'm not for an argument about IDE's, frameworks etc, but to me that's a big plus. I think it should be a tie, it's either a pro or a con or should that be neither a pro nor a con. It just depends on context.
Pro Great two-pane interface
Pro Folder synchronization
Pro Handles most archives. There is little difference in behaviour between an archive file and a regular folder.
Pro Virtual file systems
Search results as example saved into virtual folder and can be accessed later. All file operations may be performed on items in search results as if they were files in single folder.
Pro All common operations can be done with keyboard efficiently
In addition, shortcuts can be easily renamed.
Unlike Dolphin and many others.
Pro SFTP support
Pro Many operations like copying and moving files can be queued
Long running operations can be queued.
There is no point in doing them in a parallel way, as speed decreases dramatically.
Pro Can view and edit many files
Even editing a file inside a .zip file.
Has hexadecimal viewer embedded for binary files.
Pro Filename association and instant console availability
Pro Multi-rename tool
Pro Searching capabilities and copying/deleting/moving in background
Pro Custom commands can be added to the menu easily
And they can use the current folder, the selected files....
Cons
Con Apparently only one developer
Con Freeze after mouse double-click on directory list item
Con Much slower on Linux and Mac than on Windows
Con Source code written in Pascal language
But this does not affect users negatively. It's just programmers problem.
Con Not developed anymore for Mac
Con Can't edit files on remote FTP servers
Con KDE dependencies
If you don't use KDE, you'll be forced to install quite a large amount of KDE libraries.
Con New releases are infrequent
It can be seen in https://quickgit.kde.org/?p=krusader.git that maintenance work is done in a continous fashion, but no new releases are provided.
Even though it is perhaps the more feature-rich file manager.