Released version GNOME Commander 2.0 – a classic two-panel file manager with a graphical interface. The developers call this release a major update: the codebase has been almost entirely migrated from C++ to Rust, and the interface migration to GTK4 has been completed. Additionally, the project has a new maintainer, Wladimir Palant.
GNOME Commander is aimed at users who need a powerful and fast file manager with two panels, tabs, bookmarks, quick search, a built-in viewer, batch renaming, access to FTP/Samba/WebDAV/SSH, and the ability to run commands directly from the interface.
Key changes GNOME Commander 2.0:
Transition to Rust and GTK4. The project underwent extensive technical modernization: the old codebase written in C++/GTK has been almost entirely replaced with Rust code, and the interface has been transitioned to GTK4. This is not just a cosmetic update, but a preparation of the application for the modern GNOME/Linux stack.
Built-in terminal. The file manager now includes built-in command output, executed from GNOME Commander. The 'View' menu has a setting that allows automatically hiding command line output when it is inactive.
Redesigned quick search. The quick search feature now allows not only navigating to found files but also filtering the list. By default, the search can be configured in settings, matching can be done anywhere in the filename, a case sensitivity button has been added, and the search starts from the current position in the list rather than always from the beginning. Most hotkeys can now be used directly from the quick search bar without closing it.
Improved regular search dialog. The developers have sped up the search, ensured that closing and reopening the window does not clear results, added advanced path patterns like dir/**/*.md, a case sensitivity switch, and display for the directory currently being processed.
Updated internal file viewer. The built-in viewer has received font selection, a search bar instead of a separate dialog, faster searches, support for case-insensitive hexadecimal searches, a 'Select All' option, a context menu for images, and better display of image information in the status bar. Additionally, the handling of DOS line endings CRLF has been corrected.
Redesigned hotkey dialog. The shortcut key settings have become more convenient, and the list of actions for which you can assign custom combinations has significantly expanded. In the settings window, you can now switch tabs using Ctrl+Tab and Shift+Ctrl+Tab.
Tab and panel functionality has been improved. The navigation history is now separate for different panels, rather than shared. The issue where switching tabs in an inactive panel did not activate it has been fixed, and selected files in tabs are now preserved during switching.
Better support for Wayland. In Wayland sessions, launching applications from GNOME Commander now immediately activates its window if the application supports it.
Fewer freezes with large directories. Calculating the size of a large directory should no longer hang GNOME Commander; when selecting another file, the current calculation operation is canceled.
Licensing has been updated. The project's license has been updated to GPL-3.0+. The README also states that GNOME Commander is distributed under GNU GPL version 3.
Additionally, issues with restoring deleted connections upon launching, renaming directories, navigation history, background searching, dark theme in the built-in viewer, overflows in the device panel, long names in the advanced renaming dialog, and selecting files using the * key on the numeric keypad have been fixed. Translations, including Russian, and documentation have also been updated.
An interesting detail: despite the name, participants in the discussion on GNOME Discourse specified that GNOME Commander is not part of GNOME Core or GNOME Circle; the word GNOME in the name is a historical legacy of the project. The question of whether to change the application's name in the future is already being discussed there.
Overall, GNOME Commander 2.0 appears to be a rare case where an old 'orthodox' file manager was not just supported with minimal fixes, but seriously ported to a modern technological base. For users who find Nautilus too simple and want to replace Midnight Commander with a graphical application, this release may be a significant reason to take another look at the project.
The project's mirror on GitHub, release notes (thanks for the links @dataman)
Source: linux.org.ru
