nnn - type less, do more, way faster

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, ~, -, @), 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, mount (FUSE based) 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 O_NORL=1 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
archivemount, fusermount(3)	optional	mount, unmount archives
sshfs, fusermount(3)	optional	mount, unmount remotes
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
fortune	optional	random quotes in help screen
$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)

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 18.04:

$ sudo apt-get install pkg-config libncursesw5-dev libreadline-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
 -c      cli-only opener
 -d      detail mode
 -f      run filter as cmd on prompt key
 -H      show hidden files
 -i      nav-as-you-type mode
 -K      detect key collision
 -n      version sort
 -o      open files on Enter
 -p file selection file [stdout if '-']
 -r      use advcpmv patched cp, mv
 -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
      (Sh)Tab  Cycle context     d  Toggle detail view
         , ^/  Lead key    N LeadN  Context N
            /  Filter/Lead  Ins ^N  Toggle nav-as-you-type
          Esc  Exit prompt   ^L F5  Redraw/clear prompt
            ?  Help, conf  ' 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  Select entry      r  Batch rename
         m ^K  Sel range, clear  M  List selection
            a  Select all        K  Edit selection
            P  Copy selection    w  Copy selection as
            V  Move selection    W  Move selection as
            X  Delete selection ^X  Delete entry
            f  Create archive    T  Mount archive
           ^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  =  Launch  C  Execute entry
         R ^V  Pick plugin   :K xK  Execute plugin 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

Lead key

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

Follower key	Function
1-4	Go to/create selected context
key	Go to bookmarked location
'	Go to first file in directory
~ </kbd> <kbd>@</kbd> <kbd>-</kbd> | Visit HOME, /`, start, last visited dir |
.	Toggle show hidden files

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

Help

$ nnn -h
$ man nnn

To lookup keyboard shortcuts at runtime, press ?.

Elsewhere

• Wikipedia
• ArchWiki
• FOSSMint
• Hacker News [1] [2]
• It’s FOSS
• LinuxLinks [1] [2]
• Suckless Rocks
• Ubuntu Full Circle Magazine - Issue 135

Developers

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

Visit the to the ToDo list to contribute.