Filer - Cross-Platform File Manager

A modern, cross-platform GUI file manager built with Python and Qt, inspired by XYplorer, FMan, and Sublime Text.

Features

• Dual Pane Layout: Work with two directories simultaneously (configurable to single pane)
• Clean UI: Intuitive interface with toolbar buttons for common actions
• Command Palette: Quick access to commands with Ctrl+Shift+P (Sublime Text style)
• Sortable Columns: Click column headers to sort by name, size, type, or modified date
• Keyboard Navigation: Navigate efficiently with keyboard shortcuts
• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/keith-hall/filer.git
cd filer

2. Install uv (if not already installed):

# On macOS and Linux
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# On Windows
powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

# Or via pip
pip install uv

3. The dependencies will be automatically installed when you run the application.

Usage

Run the application:

uv run python main.py

Alternatively, you can activate the virtual environment and run directly:

# Activate the virtual environment
source .venv/bin/activate  # On macOS/Linux
# or
.venv\Scripts\activate  # On Windows

# Run the application
python main.py

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl+Shift+P: Open command palette
• F5: Refresh current pane
• Ctrl+D: Toggle between single and dual pane layout
• Backspace: Navigate to parent directory
• Enter: Open selected directory or file
• Double-click: Navigate into directory

Navigation

• Use the path bar at the top of each pane to manually enter a directory path
• Click the ↑ button to go to the parent directory
• Double-click on folders in the list to navigate into them
• Click column headers to sort the list

Architecture

The project follows a clean separation between frontend and backend:

• Backend (filer/backend/):

  • filesystem.py: File system operations and abstractions
  • models.py: Qt models for data representation

• Frontend (filer/frontend/):

  • main_window.py: Main application window
  • file_pane.py: Individual file browser pane widget
  • command_palette.py: Command palette for quick actions

This architecture ensures:

• Clear boundaries between UI and business logic
• Easy testing of backend components
• Flexibility to swap UI frameworks if needed
• Maintainable and extensible codebase

License

See LICENSE file for details.