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Add to SafariWhen comparing Ranger vs One Commander, the Slant community recommends One Commander for most people. In the question“What are the best file managers for Windows?” One Commander is ranked 9th while Ranger is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose One Commander is:
Free for non commercial use.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Can be used in terminal
Which makes for a good choice of file explorer for those that use machines without a GUI.
Pro Minimalist and efficient
There is no need for icons of files if headings are used. Previews of text documents and a simple design creates and efficient workflow.
Pro Vim-like bindings
Ranger has Vim-like keybindings which help a lot in increasing efficiency and speed up the workflow.
Pro Extensible, scriptable (with python)
Ranger allows the use of various scripts for calling on individual or multiple files, for file previews, or for other operations.
In commands.py the "my_edit"-function can be extended to do whatever in python can be done. Target files can be the file under the cursor (self.fm.thisfile.path), the files marked/selected in the current tab (self.fm.thistab.get_selection() ) and the files in the copy-buffer (add/remove: ya, yr) (respectively the delete-buffer: add/remove da/dr) (both: self.fm.copy_buffer).
The most appropriate list of files can be found out automatically, like so:
if self.fm.copy_buffer:
for file in self.fm.copy_buffer:
...
elif self.fm.thistab.get_selection():
for file in self.fm.thistab.get_selection():
...
else:
file = self.fm.thisfile.path
...
Pro File preview
Unlike other terminal file managers, Ranger can preview many files, including text files, archives, etc, but also pdf files, pictures and videos.
Pro Bookmark system
Makes it easy to jump to any specific folder locations you work with.
Pro Easily used with SSH
Pro Image preview support
Ranger can use w3m to preview images in terminal through framebuffer.
Pro Fast and responsive
This software is super fast and responsive in navigation.
Pro Treeview and listview (equal viewports) possible
Supports any number of viewports on folders side by side.
Pro PDF preview
This may fall under "File preview", but it is a very powerful feature for PDF files in particular.
Pro Free
Free for non commercial use.
Pro Simple and fast
Fast search and filter.
Pro Miller columns
Like Finder from macOS.
Pro Multi tab support
Pro Themes
Light, dark and customizable themes/colours.
Pro Default file manager setup
Can make it the default file manager such that windows explorer stays out of the way for most of the work.
Pro File previews
Pro File / folder filters
Pro Folder views can be saved and applied
Cons
Con Bloated
Written in a scripted language. Enabling file previews makes it even slower.
Con Depends heavily on third party utilities
Con Difficult learning curve for people who are not used to Vim
Since it uses many of vim's keybindings, it may be hard for someone who does not use vim or does not know how to use vim to learn how to work with this file manager.
Con No way to calculate folder size
Con Needs heavy configuration to setup
Con No built-in ability to navigate FTP/SSH
Most other GUI-based file managers provide easy bookmarking and browsing of multiple FTP & SSH locations using either keys or keychain stored user credentials. Ranger doesn't have this.
Con A great idea but not GUI friendly
May be difficult to get past the fact that it asked for commands dd and cc and the likes to cut and or paste. Arch-Linux normally prides itself on not over-complicating things. Too bad ... a great idea with the 3 Smart Columns, but why would anyone prefer to need to learn 30 commands in order to cut and paste or copy a file or folder, or to see/change permissions.
Con Folders cannot be sorted by size
Con Cannot access Android device connected by USB
Con Cannot access Android device by FTP
And can never will as this is clarified by developer that this feature will never be added.
Con It doesn't have UNDO function
Very important. When you work with valuable data files, this function can't be ommited.
Con Navigating folders by Ctrl+Tab has considerable delay
Con Browsing Recycle Bin is very slow
Navigating away from Recycle Bin tab and coming back to it reload the Recycle Bin which is very slow as mentioned. Program has an option to open recycle bin in Windows File Explorer, which suggests that developer is aware that opening Recycle Bin is problematic.
Con Confusing
Con Context menu only based on icons
No longer with Onecommander 3.6.43
