Navigating files in the terminal usually means a stream of cd, ls, and cat - functional, but clumsy for browsing. Yazi is a full terminal file manager that makes it fast and visual. Built in Rust on fully asynchronous I/O, it browses directories instantly, previews files (including images, in supported terminals) in a side pane, and drives entirely from vim-like keys - so you move through a filesystem at the speed of thought without leaving the shell.
Browse, Preview, Act
The three-pane layout (parent, current, preview) plus instant previews means you understand where you are and what's in a file without opening it. Async I/O keeps it responsive even in huge directories where other tools stutter.
Keyboard-Driven and Extensible
Everything is a keystroke - navigate, select, copy, rename, delete - and it integrates with tools like fzf, ripgrep, and zoxide for jumping and searching:
# Launch it in the current directory
yazi
# vim-style keys: h j k l to move,
# space to select, y/p to copy/paste, q to quit
Rough Edges and Limitations
- Vim keys assumed. If hjkl isn't in your fingers, there's a short adjustment.
- Previews need helpers. Rich previews (images, PDFs) depend on terminal support and optional tools.
- Young project. Fast-moving, so configuration can shift between releases.
For browsing and wrangling files without leaving the terminal, Yazi is the fastest, most pleasant option going.
Internal link suggestion: link "integrates with tools like fzf" to the fzf or zoxide post for the jump-and-search combo.