Caja vs Thunar

Not too much cluttered, but enough customizable.

Caja script extension adds your script in script menu, then passes the file name as a parameter. This allows you to run operation which is not included in Caja.

You can click the Files entry in the panel to access a specific location (remote or local), connect to a certain server (FTP, SFTP, SAMBA, etc.), access your bookmarks, open a new window, as well as to change its default functionality.

Customizable and clean, this is crushing that garbage nautilus, the overrated p.o.s. gnome destroyed.

Unlike Nautilus, which requires the whole GNOME desktop, thunar just depends on some XFCE utilities & GTK.

While in a Thunar window, typing either a "~" or a "/" will automatically start typing into the "address-bar" and pressing enter goes straight to the typed directory.

In a thunar window, any non-directory typing will search in the current directory for the filename that you type (non-recursive, unlike Nautilus)

Select multiple files in the current folder using a wildcard pattern.

Use Custom Actions to add right-click options to do things like Open as Root, Open Git GUI, etc. You can filter the file types and filename patterns that the actions will show up for.

To add an "Open as Root" action, go to Edit, Configure custom actions. Assign a name and a description. Set Command as "gksudo xdg-open %f" (you'll need to install gksudo since pkexec won't work). Pick an icon (I prefer "changes-allow"). Under Appearance Conditions, select Directories, Text Files, and Other Files.

Supports the M4 and M5 mouse buttons for forward/back, similarly to most browsers.

With also predefined functions as insert (date, numbering,...), search/replace, etc ...

Browse files in two directories with a dual pane view.

But nothing more.

While in a Thunar window, typing a filename automatically selects the first matching file in the current folder.

Thunar can use the editable accelerator feature of XFCE.

Run xfce4-appearance-settings in terminal, go to settings tab, check "enable editable accelerator". Now open any command in Thunar menu, hover to a command, i.e. your custom "places" or your custom command, then press any combination to assign a shortcut to it.
be careful though, cause it will also remove the shortcut from other command.

Use tabs to open fewer windows. New tabs automatically start in the same location. Tabs can be detached.