Master Linux File Management with Vifm: Install and Key Features

What is Vifm?

Vifm is a cross‑platform, ncurses‑based file manager for Unix‑like systems, Cygwin and Windows. It provides a full‑screen, keyboard‑driven interface that uses Vi‑style key bindings, so users familiar with Vim can manage files without learning a new command set.

Key Features

Two‑pane default layout with optional horizontal or vertical splits.

Vi mode: registers, options, custom commands, and command auto‑completion.

Support for many file types and built‑in file preview.

Trash directory integration; deleted files are moved to ~/.local/share/vifm/Trash.

Multiple view styles (custom, column, compare, ls‑like).

Remote command execution and directory changes.

Various color schemes and optional FUSE auto‑mount support.

Plugin to use Vifm as a file selector inside Vim.

Installation

Vifm is packaged in the official repositories of most Linux distributions. Install it with the appropriate package manager:

sudo apt install vifm    # Debian/Ubuntu

sudo pacman -S vifm      # Arch‑based

sudo dnf install vifm    # Fedora/RHEL

After installation, start Vifm by typing vifm in a terminal.

User Interface Overview

On first launch Vifm shows the current directory in two panes. The left pane is the active pane; the right pane mirrors the directory view.

Basic Navigation

Space

– switch the active pane. Enter – open a directory or edit a file. j / k – move the cursor down/up. h – go to the parent directory. l – open a file in the associated program (Vim by default) or descend into a directory.

Toggle Hidden Files

Press za to show or hide files whose names start with a dot.

File Information

Press Ctrl+g to display detailed information about the file or directory under the cursor.

Open File in Vim

When the cursor is on a regular file, press Enter to edit it with Vim.

Visual Mode with Color Highlighting

Press V to start visual selection; selected files are highlighted using the active color scheme.

Pane Operations

Ctrl‑W

– show pane‑related key bindings. Ctrl‑W s – split the current pane horizontally. Ctrl‑W v – split the current pane vertically.

Command Auto‑Completion

Type the first characters of a command and press Tab. Press Tab again to cycle through the possible completions, then Enter to execute.

Viewing Files in Another Pane

Use the :view command to list files in one pane while showing the selected file’s contents in the other pane.

Delete Files

Mark a file for deletion with dd. Confirm the deletion with Y or cancel with N.

Trash Management

Deleted files are moved to Vifm’s trash directory.

List the trash directory with :trashes.

Show its contents with :lstrash (press q to quit the view).

To restore a file, change to the trash directory (e.g., cd ~/.local/share/vifm/Trash) and run :restore on the desired file.

Further Resources

For a complete list of options, commands and configuration examples, consult the manual page: man vifm Official website: https://vifm.info