Mastering vifm: A Faster, Keyboard-Driven File Managervifm is a modal, keyboard-driven file manager inspired by Vim. It brings the power and efficiency of Vim’s modal editing to file navigation and manipulation, offering a compact, scriptable, and highly-customizable interface for users who prefer the keyboard over the mouse. This article walks through vifm’s core concepts, essential workflows, customization, integration with other tools, and tips for getting the most from it.
What is vifm and why use it?
vifm exposes a dual-pane interface with Vim-like commands, allowing fast navigation, selection, and manipulation of files and directories without needing a mouse. Key advantages:
- Speed: Keyboard-centric workflows reduce context switching and repetitive pointer movements.
- Familiarity for Vim users: Many commands, motions, and concepts map directly to Vim.
- Scriptability and customization: config files, key mappings, and commands allow tailoring to workflows.
- Lightweight and terminal-native: Runs in a terminal, integrates cleanly with shells, tmux, and other CLI tools.
Getting started: installation and basic usage
Installation is straightforward on most systems:
- On Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install vifm - On Fedora:
sudo dnf install vifm - On macOS (Homebrew):
brew install vifm
Start vifm by running:
vifm You’ll see a two-pane layout: left and right, each showing a directory listing. Basic movement and actions are modal, similar to Vim—use normal-mode commands to move around, switch panes, and operate on files.
Essential keys:
h,j,k,l— move left/up/down/right in listings (like Vim)Enter— open a file or enter a directory:q— quit vifm:w— write (applies to some scripted commands; use with custom mappings)Tab— switch active panev— begin Visual selection (for multiple file operations)yy— yank (copy) selected file(s)pp— paste yanked files into the active directorydd— cut (move) selected file(s):deleteorD— delete files
Pane management:
Ctrl-wfollowed by pane movement keys (like Vim) works for resizing and switching panes.zptoggles preview pane for file contents.
Working with files: selection, filtering, and batches
Selection:
- Use
vto start visual selection and move with motions (j,k,G,gg). *toggles selection of the file under the cursor.Vselects the entire line (entry) — useful when selecting many files.
Filtering and searches:
/pattern— incremental search within the current pane.:filteror:set filter— apply file type/regex filters to hide non-matching entries.:selectand:unselecthelp programmatically select files by pattern.
Batch operations:
- With files selected, use
yyto copy,ddto move,:renameto batch-rename, or:!to call external commands on the selection. - Example: select files and run a shell command on each:
:!mogrify -resize 800x600 %c(%c expands to the current file in selection—see vifm help for specifiers.)
Configuration: vifmrc and mappings
vifm’s configuration lives in ~/.vifm/vifmrc (or ~/.vifmrc). It accepts Vim-like commands to set options, define mappings, and configure display.
Example vifmrc snippets:
- Set default preview and sorting:
set sort=extension set show_hidden set confirm - Remap keys (make space behave like Enter):
nnoremap <Space> <Enter> - Custom command to open a file in the background editor:
command! -nargs=* E !st -e nvim %f
Tips:
- Keep frequently used commands in vifmrc.
- Use
mappings (choose a leader key at top of vifmrc) for personal shortcuts. - Organize complex actions with user-defined commands that call external scripts.
Integration with external tools
vifm’s strength grows when combined with other CLI tools:
- tmux: Run vifm in a tmux pane for persistent sessions and easy windowing.
- Git: Use external commands from vifm to run git status, add, or commit selected files.
:!git add %c - Image viewers and previews: Configure vifm to show image thumbnails via an external script or enable a previewer like ueberzug (in supported terminals).
- Editors: Open selected files in your editor (nvim, emacs, code) via mappings or commands.
Example mapping to edit file in neovim:
nnoremap <leader>e :!nvim %f<CR> Advanced features
Bookmarks and sessions:
- Use marks to bookmark directories and jump quickly between them (
m{letter}to mark,' {letter}to jump). - Save and restore sessions using shell scripts or tmux-resurrect integrations.
Scripting:
- vifm supports user-defined commands and can pass filenames to shell scripts using expansion specifiers like
%f,%c, and%d. - Create scripts for repetitive tasks (image optimization, bulk renaming, backups) and bind them to keys.
Custom layouts:
- Configure default panes, column widths, and colors in vifmrc.
- Use separate color schemes and filetype icons (nerd fonts) to make listings more readable.
Security and permissions:
- vifm respects Unix file permissions; operations that require elevated privileges can be executed through
sudowithin external commands, but exercise caution.
Productivity tips and workflows
- Learn and memorize a small set of core motions (hjkl, w/b, gg/G) and operators (dd/yy/pp), then add a few custom mappings to reduce friction.
- Use filters and regex selection to work on subsets (e.g.,
:filter *.log). - Combine vifm with fd/rg for fast searching: run
:!fd -t f patternand open results. - Use visual selection for safe bulk operations—preview before committing destructive commands.
- Keep a personal vifmrc backed up in dotfiles for consistent setup across machines.
Troubleshooting common issues
- Terminal compatibility: Some features (image previews, mouse support) depend on terminal capabilities. Try a different terminal emulator if things look broken.
- Key conflicts: If keys don’t behave as expected, check for terminal or shell keybindings that intercept sequences (e.g., tmux or shell shortcuts).
- Permissions errors: Use
:!sudofor commands needing root; consider sudo-edited scripts for batch privileged actions. - Slow performance with very large directories: Use filtering, limit shown columns, or use fd/rg to preselect.
Resources and learning path
- Read the built-in help:
:helpinside vifm. - Study your vifmrc and experiment incrementally—start with a few mappings, then add commands.
- Explore community dotfiles for real-world examples of mappings, previews, and integrations.
- Combine learning with Vim practice; the overlap between the two accelerates mastery.
Example vifmrc (starter)
" ~/.vifm/vifmrc - minimal starter config set sort=extension set show_hidden set confirm set previewsize=30 nnoremap <Space> <Enter> nnoremap <leader>y yy nnoremap <leader>p pp command! -nargs=1 Eexe :!nvim %f Mastering vifm is about adopting modal thinking for file management: small, consistent motions and operators chain into powerful workflows. With a few mappings, a sensible vifmrc, and some integration with your editor and shell tools, vifm can significantly speed up everyday file tasks and fit naturally into a terminal-centric workflow.
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