muCommander: Cross-Platform File Manager with a Classic Feel
If you’ve ever used Norton Commander, Total Commander, or even Midnight Commander, you’ll feel right at home with muCommander. It’s a lightweight, dual-pane file manager written in Java — so it runs just about anywhere: Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD.
It doesn’t try to reinvent the file manager. Instead, it delivers something simple and predictable: copy, move, compare, archive, mount remote shares — all from a clean, keyboard-friendly interface.
For IT folks who live between drives, folders, and remote servers, muCommander brings a sense of order without locking you into any OS.
What It Does Well
Feature | Why That Matters
——–|————————————————————————-
Dual-Pane Interface | Fast navigation and drag-drop between locations
Keyboard Shortcuts | Most operations can be done without the mouse — good for speed
Archive Support | Browse and extract ZIP, TAR, RAR, ISO, and more like folders
Remote File Systems | Supports FTP, SFTP, SMB, NFS, HTTP, Amazon S3, and HDFS
Tabbed Browsing | Work with multiple folders and sessions simultaneously
Bookmarks & History | Quickly jump between common paths
Customizable UI | Themes, fonts, display formats — easy on the eyes
Portable Version | Runs from USB or standalone JAR — no install needed
When It’s a Good Fit
– Working across OSes: use the same file manager everywhere
– Accessing remote file systems without mounting them manually
– Cleaning up backup archives or comparing file trees
– Managing files on older machines where heavyweight apps don’t run well
– Daily sysadmin tasks like moving logs, archiving configs, syncing dirs
It’s especially helpful in mixed environments — jump from Windows to a Linux server over SFTP, and back again.
How to Get Started
1. Download from the official site:
→ https://www.mucommander.com/
2. Pick the right package:
– Windows EXE
– macOS DMG
– JAR (portable)
– Linux DEB or RPM
3. Launch and start exploring — no config needed.
You’ll see the classic two-panel layout immediately, with keyboard hints built-in.
System Requirements
– Java: Requires Java 8+ (JRE or JDK)
– Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD
– Memory: Lightweight — 512MB RAM is enough
– Portable: Can run from USB or network share
– Licensing: Open source (GPL v3)
Final Thought
muCommander doesn’t try to be flashy. It’s a reliable tool for moving, sorting, syncing, and inspecting files — across local disks, archives, or network shares. If you need one file manager that works everywhere, feels familiar, and doesn’t eat your CPU — this one delivers.
📦 Official Site: https://www.mucommander.com
📘 GitHub: https://github.com/mucommander/mucommander
