## nnn
Noice is Not Noice, a noicer fork...
[](https://vimeo.com/233223942 "Click to see nnn in action!")
nnn in action!
`nnn` is probably the [fastest and most resource-sensitive](#performance) (with all its capabilities) file browser you have ever used. It's extremely flexible too - integrates with your DE and favourite GUI utilities, works with the desktop opener, supports bookmarks, has smart navigation shortcuts, [navigate-as-you-type](#navigate-as-you-type-mode) mode, disk usage analyzer mode, comprehensive file details and much more. `nnn` was initially forked from [noice](http://git.2f30.org/noice/) but is significantly [different](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/wiki/nnn-vs.-noice) today.
Cool things you can do with `nnn`:
- open any file in the default desktop application or a custom one
- *navigate-as-you-type* (*search-as-you-type* enabled even on directory switch)
- check disk usage with number of files in current directory tree
- run desktop search utility (gnome-search-tool or catfish) in any directory
- copy absolute file paths to clipboard, spawn a terminal and use the paths
- navigate instantly using shortcuts like `~`, `-`, `&` or handy bookmarks
- use `cd .....` at chdir prompt to go to a parent directory
- detailed file stats, media info, list and extract archives
- pin a directory you may need to revisit and jump to it anytime
- lock the current terminal after a specified idle time
- change directory on exit
If you want to edit a file in vi with some soothing music in the background while referring to a spec in your GUI PDF viewer, `nnn` got it! [Quickstart](#quickstart) and see how `nnn` simplifies those long desktop sessions...
Have fun with it! PRs are welcome. Check out [#1](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/issues/1).
*Love smart and efficient terminal utilities? Explore my repositories. Buy me a cup of coffee if they help you.*
### Table of Contents
- [Features](#features)
- [Performance](#performance)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Dependencies](#dependencies)
- [From a package manager](#from-a-package-manager)
- [Release packages](#release-packages)
- [From source](#from-source)
- [Shell completion](#shell-completion)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Cmdline options](#cmdline-options)
- [Keyboard shortcuts](#keyboard-shortcuts)
- [Filters](#filters)
- [Navigate-as-you-type mode](#navigate-as-you-type-mode)
- [File type abbreviations](#file-type-abbreviations)
- [File handling](#file-handling)
- [Help](#help)
- [Quickstart](#quickstart)
- [How to](#how-to)
- [add bookmarks](#add-bookmarks)
- [use cd .....](#use-cd-)
- [cd on quit](#cd-on-quit)
- [copy file paths to clipboard](#copy-file-paths-to-clipboard)
- [copy file paths when X is missing](#copy-file-paths-when-x-is-missing)
- [change dir color](#change-dir-color)
- [file copy, move, delete](#file-copy-move-delete)
- [boost chdir prompt](#boost-chdir-prompt)
- [set idle timeout](#set-idle-timeout)
- [show hot plugged drives](#show-hot-plugged-drives)
- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
- [nnn blocks on opening files](#nnn-blocks-on-opening-files)
- [Why fork?](#why-fork)
- [Mentions](#mentions)
- [Developers](#developers)
### Features
- Navigation
- Familiar shortcuts
- *Navigate-as-you-type* mode
- Bookmarks support; pin and visit a directory
- Open a bookmarked directory on start
- Jump HOME or to the last visited directory (as usual!)
- Jump to initial dir, chdir prompt, cd ..... (with . as PWD)
- Roll-over at edges, page through entries
- Show directories in custom color (default: enabled in blue)
- Disk usage analyzer (du) mode
- Search
- Filter directory contents with *search-as-you-type*
- Desktop search (default gnome-search-tool, customizable) integration
- Mimes
- Desktop opener integration
- Open file with a custom application
- Optionally open text files in EDITOR (fallback vi)
- Customizable bash script [nlay](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/wiki/all-about-nlay) to handle actions
- Information
- Basic and detail view
- Detailed stat-like file information
- Media information (needs mediainfo or exiftool, if specified)
- Ordering
- Numeric order (1, 2, ... 10, 11, ...) for numeric names
- Sort by file name, modification time, size
- Convenience
- Create, rename files and directories
- Batch rename/move/delete current directory entries in vidir (from moreutils)
- Spawn SHELL (fallback sh) in the current directory
- Copy absolute file paths with/without X (*easy* shell integration)
- Change directory at exit (*easy* shell integration)
- Open any file in EDITOR (fallback vi) or PAGER (fallback less)
- List and extract archives (needs atool)
- Open current directory in a custom GUI file browser
- Terminal screensaver (default vlock, customizable) integration
- Unicode support
- Highly optimized code, minimal resource usage
### Performance
`nnn` vs. ncdu memory usage in disk usage analyzer mode (401385 files on disk):
```
PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND
5034 vaio 20 0 70360 58764 2244 S 0.0 0.7 0:00.80 ncdu /
4949 vaio 20 0 17520 4224 2584 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.54 nnn -S /
```
`nnn` vs. midnight commander vs. ranger memory usage while viewing a directory with 13790 files, sorted by size:
```
PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND
16255 vaio 20 0 101392 59304 7928 S 0.0 0.7 0:00.68 /usr/bin/python -O /usr/bin/ranger
15971 vaio 20 0 65732 11784 6848 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.56 mc
16198 vaio 20 0 18520 4900 2536 S 0.3 0.1 0:00.14 nnn
```
Intrigued? Find out [HOW](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/wiki/performance-factors).
### Installation
#### Dependencies
`nnn` needs libreadline, libncursesw (on Linux or ncurses on OS X) and standard libc.
#### From a package manager
- [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/nnn/)
- [Debian](https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=nnn&searchon=names&exact=1)
- [FreeBSD](https://www.freshports.org/misc/nnn) (`pkg install nnn`)
- [Gentoo](https://packages.gentoo.org/packages/app-misc/nnn) (`emerge nnn`)
- [Homebrew](http://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nnn)
- [NixOS](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/master/pkgs/applications/misc/nnn) (`sudo nix-env -i nnn`)
- [openSUSE](https://software.opensuse.org/package/nnn) (and packages for several other distros)
- [Slackware](http://slackbuilds.org/repository/14.2/system/nnn/)
- [Source Mage](http://codex.sourcemage.org/test/shell-term-fm/nnn/) (`cast nnn`)
- [Ubuntu](https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=nnn&searchon=names&exact=1)
- [Ubuntu PPA](https://launchpad.net/~twodopeshaggy/+archive/ubuntu/jarun/)
- [Void Linux](https://github.com/voidlinux/void-packages/tree/master/srcpkgs/nnn) (`sudo xbps-install -S nnn`)
#### Release packages
Packages for Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu are available with the [latest stable release](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/releases/latest).
#### From source
To cook yourself, download the [latest stable release](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/releases/latest) or clone this repository (*risky*). Then install the dependencies and compile (e.g. on Ubuntu 16.04):
$ sudo apt-get install libncursesw5-dev libreadline6-dev
$ make
$ sudo make install
`PREFIX` is supported, in case you want to install to a different location.
### Shell completion
Search keyword and option completion scripts for Bash, Fish and Zsh can be found in respective subdirectories of [`scripts/auto-completion/`](scripts/auto-completion). Please refer to your shell's manual for installation instructions.
### Usage
#### Cmdline options
```
usage: nnn [-b key] [-c N] [-e] [-i] [-l]
[-p nlay] [-S] [-v] [-h] [PATH]
The missing terminal file browser for X.
positional arguments:
PATH start dir [default: current dir]
optional arguments:
-b key specify bookmark key to open
-c N specify dir color, disables if N>7
-e use exiftool instead of mediainfo
-i start in navigate-as-you-type mode
-l start in light mode (fewer details)
-p nlay path to custom nlay
-S start in disk usage analyzer mode
-v show program version and exit
-h show this help and exit
```
`>` indicates the currently selected entry in `nnn`.
#### Keyboard shortcuts
```
Key | Function
- + -
↑, k, ^P | Previous entry
↓, j, ^N | Next entry
PgUp, ^U | Scroll half page up
PgDn, ^D | Scroll half page down
Home, g, ^, ^A | First entry
End, G, $, ^E | Fast entry
→, ↵, l, ^M | Open file or enter dir
←, Bksp, h, ^H | Go to parent dir
^O | Open with...
Insert, ^I | Toggle navigate-as-you-type
~ | Go HOME
& | Go to initial dir
- | Go to last visited dir
/ | Filter dir contents
^/ | Open desktop search tool
. | Toggle hide . files
^B | Bookmark prompt
b | Pin current dir
^V | Go to pinned dir
c | Change dir prompt
d | Toggle detail view
D | File details
m | Brief media info
M | Full media info
n | Create new
^R | Rename entry
R | Rename dir entries
s | Toggle sort by size
S, ^J | Toggle du mode
t | Toggle sort by mtime
! | Spawn SHELL in dir
e | Edit entry in EDITOR
o | Open dir in file manager
p | Open entry in PAGER
F | List archive
^F | Extract archive
^K | Invoke file path copier
^Y | Toggle multi-copy mode
^T | Toggle path quote
^L | Redraw, clear prompt
? | Help, settings
Q, ^G | Quit and cd
q, ^X | Quit
```
Help & settings, file details, media info and archive listing are shown in the PAGER. Please use the PAGER-specific keys in these screens.
#### Filters
Filters support regexes to instantly (search-as-you-type) list the matching entries in the current directory.
There are 3 ways to reset a filter:
- pressing ^L (at the new/rename prompt ^L followed by Enter discards all changes and exits prompt)
- a search with no matches
- an extra backspace at the filter prompt (like vi)
Common use cases:
- to list all matches starting with the filter expression, start the expression with a `^` (caret) symbol
- type `\.mkv` to list all MKV files
If `nnn` is invoked as root the default filter will also match hidden files.
#### Navigate-as-you-type mode
In this mode directories are opened in filter mode, allowing continuous navigation. Works best with the **arrow keys**.
#### File type abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in the detail view:
| Symbol | File Type |
| --- | --- |
| `/` | Directory |
| `*` | Executable |
| | | Fifo |
| `=` | Socket |
| `@` | Symbolic Link |
| `b` | Block Device |
| `c` | Character Device |
#### File handling
| External dependency | Operation |
| --- | --- |
| xdg-open (Linux), open(1) (OS X) | desktop opener |
| mediainfo, exiftool | multimedia file details |
| gnome-search-tool, catfish | desktop search utility |
| atool | list and extract archives |
| vidir from moreutils | batch rename, move, delete dir entries |
| vlock (Linux) | terminal locker |
| $EDITOR | edit files (fallback vi) |
| $PAGER | page through files (fallback less) |
| $SHELL | spawn a shell in dir (fallback sh) |
- To edit all text files in EDITOR (preferably CLI, fallback vi):
export NNN_USE_EDITOR=1
- To enable the desktop file manager key, set `NNN_DE_FILE_MANAGER`. E.g.:
export NNN_DE_FILE_MANAGER=thunar
export NNN_DE_FILE_MANAGER=nautilus
#### Help
$ nnn -h
$ man nnn
To lookup keyboard shortcuts at runtime, press ?.
### Quickstart
Add the following to your shell's rc file for the best experience:
1. Use a shorter and sweeter alias:
alias n=nnn
2. Optionally open all text files in EDITOR (fallback vi):
export NNN_USE_EDITOR=1
3. Set a desktop file manager to open directories with (if you ever need to). E.g.:
export NNN_DE_FILE_MANAGER=thunar
4. Run `n`.
5. Set `NNN_NOWAIT`, if nnn [blocks on your desktop environment](#nnn-blocks-on-opening-files) when a file is open.
6. Press ? for help on keyboard shortcuts anytime.
### How to
#### add bookmarks
Set environment variable `NNN_BMS` as a string of `key:location` pairs (max 10) separated by semicolons (`;`):
export NNN_BMS='doc:~/Documents;u:/home/user/Cam Uploads;D:~/Downloads/'
The bookmark prompt also understands the ~ (HOME), - (last visited directory) and & (start directory) shortcuts.
#### use cd .....
To jump to the nth level parent, with PWD at level 0, use `n + 1` dots. For example, to jump to the 6 parent of the current directory, use 7 dots. If the number of dots would take you *beyond* `/` (which isn't possible), you'll be placed at `/`.
#### cd on quit
Pick the appropriate file for your shell from [`scripts/quitcd`](scripts/quitcd) and add the contents to your shell's rc file. You'll need to spawn a new shell for the change to take effect. You should start `nnn` as `n` (or modify the function name to something else).
As you might notice, `nnn` uses the environment variable `NNN_TMPFILE` to write the last visited directory path. You can change it.
#### copy file paths to clipboard
`nnn` can pipe the absolute path of the current file or multiple files to a copier script. For example, you can use `xsel` on Linux or `pbcopy` on OS X.
Sample Linux copier script:
#!/bin/sh
# comment the next line to convert newlines to spaces
IFS=
echo -n $1 | xsel --clipboard --input
export `NNN_COPIER`:
export NNN_COPIER="/path/to/copier.sh"
Use ^K to copy the absolute path (from `/`) of the file under the cursor to clipboard.
To copy multiple file paths, switch to the multi-copy mode using ^Y. In this mode you can
- select multiple files one by one by pressing ^K on each entry; or,
- navigate to another file in the same directory to select a range of files.
Pressing ^Y again copies the paths to clipboard and exits the multi-copy mode.
To wrap each file path within single quotes, export `NNN_QUOTE_ON`:
export NNN_QUOTE_ON=1
This is particularly useful if you are planning to copy the whole string to the shell to run a command. Quotes can be toggled at runtime using ^T.
#### copy file paths when X is missing
A very common scenario on headless remote servers connected via SSH. As the clipboard is missing, `nnn` copies the path names to the tmp file `/tmp/nnncp$USER`.
`nnn` needs to know X is unavailable:
export NNN_NO_X=1
Use ^Y and/or ^K to copy file paths as usual. To use the copied paths from the cmdline, use command substitution:
# bash/zsh
ls -ltr `cat /tmp/nnncpuser`
ls -ltr $(cat /tmp/nnncpuser)
# fish
ls -ltr (cat /tmp/nnncpuser)
An alias may be handy:
alias ncp='cat /tmp/nnncpuser'
so you can -
# bash/zsh
ls -ltr `ncp`
ls -ltr $(ncp)
# fish
ls -ltr (ncp)
Note that you may want to keep quotes disabled in this case.
#### change dir color
The default color for directories is blue. Option `-c` accepts color codes from 0 to 7 to use a different color:
0-black, 1-red, 2-green, 3-yellow, 4-blue, 5-magenta, 6-cyan, 7-white
Any other value disables colored directories.
#### file copy, move, delete
`nnn` doesn't support file copy, move, delete natively. However, it simplifies the workflow:
1. copy the absolute paths using ^Y and/or ^K
2. spawn a shell in the current directory (!)
3. while typing the desired command, copy the file paths (usually ^-Shift-V)
In addition, nnn integrates with vidir. vidir supports batch file move and delete.
#### boost chdir prompt
`nnn` uses libreadline for the chdir prompt input. So all the fantastic features of readline (e.g. case insensitive tab completion, history, reverse-i-search) are available to you based on your readline [configuration](https://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/php/chet/readline/readline.html#SEC9).
#### set idle timeout
The terminal screensaver is disabled by default. To set the wait time in seconds, use environment variable `NNN_IDLE_TIMEOUT`.
#### show hot plugged drives
Enable volume management in your DE file manager and set removable drives or media to be auto-mounted when inserted. Then visit the usual mount point location (`/mnt` or `/media/user`) in `nnn`.
### Troubleshooting
#### nnn blocks on opening files
Ideally nnn should not block. Unfortunately, sometimes even the same desktop opener behaves differently on different Linux desktop environments. If `nnn` does block when a file is open, set the environment variable `NNN_NOWAIT` to any non-zero value. For example,
export NNN_NOWAIT=1
### Why fork?
I chose to fork because:
- one can argue my approach deviates from the goal of the original project - keep the utility `suckless`. In my opinion evolution is the taste of time.
- I would like to have a bit of control on what features are added in the name of desktop integration. A feature-bloat is the last thing in my mind. Check out [nnn design considerations](https://github.com/jarun/nnn/wiki/nnn-design-considerations) for more details.
### Mentions
- [It's FOSS](https://itsfoss.com/nnn-file-browser-linux/)
- [FOSSMint](https://www.fossmint.com/nnn-linux-terminal-file-browser/)
### Developers
1. Copyright © 2014-2016 Lazaros Koromilas
2. Copyright © 2014-2016 Dimitris Papastamos
3. Copyright © 2016-2018 [Arun Prakash Jana](https://github.com/jarun)
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