GNOME Commander 2.0 has been released as a major update to the classic two-pane graphical file manager for Linux desktops, bringing a completed GTK4 migration, extensive Rust porting work, and a new embedded terminal.
According to the project, the app is now almost completely migrated from C++ to Rust, and the move to GTK4 is complete. The update also adds an embedded terminal, allowing users to view command output within the file manager without switching to a separate terminal window.
GNOME Commander follows the orthodox file manager model, with two side-by-side panels for working across directories, copying and moving files, comparing locations, and handling file operations with keyboard-driven workflows.
Moreover, version 2.0 brings a redesigned quick search, improvements to the search dialog, updates to the internal viewer, accessibility improvements, and Wayland fixes.
Other important changes include:
- Removed dependency on the
xpmlibrary for MIME icons - Updated license to GPL-3.0+
- Improved accessibility, allowing screen readers to better recognize context
- Redesigned Keyboard Shortcuts dialog
- Expanded list of configurable keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+TabandShift+Ctrl+Tabsupport for switching tabs in the Options dialog- Separate navigation history for each file panel
xdg-terminal-execset as the default external terminal launcher- Non-blocking calculation of large directory sizes
- Automatic cancellation of directory-size calculation when selecting another file
- New option to treat symlinks as regular files
- No extra pause when running commands in an external terminal
- Better dark-mode-aware icon for “Copy File Names”
- Support for icon theme directories for MIME icons
- Drag-and-drop column reordering in file panels
Finally, this release marks a maintainer change. Wladimir Palant has taken over maintainership after making substantial contributions to the project, including much of the work behind the 2.0 release. Former maintainer Uwe Scholz remains credited for his long-term work on the file manager.
For additional details, see the changelog. GNOME Commander 2.0 is available from the project’s GitLab release page.
Image credits: GNOME Commander
