---
title: nnn — Terminal file manager
date: 2026-10-17
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: An ultra-lightweight TUI file manager written in C. How to use shortcuts, screen layout, server management, and actual execution screens.
tags: program, File and disk management, nnn
---

I kept your original questions intact while enriching the answer with the practical core usage (shortcuts and server connections).

**💬 "Let's talk about the nnn command"**

- **Concept**: A lightweight, ultra-fast terminal-based (TUI) file manager written in C.
- **Installation**: Install easily with sudo apt install nnn on Linux, or brew install nnn on macOS.
- **Navigation**: Use the keyboard arrow keys ↑/↓ to move, →/Enter to enter a folder or run a file, ← to move to the parent folder, or j/k/l/h.
- **File management**:
  - n: Create a new file/folder
  - Space: Select multiple files (adds a * in front of the name)
  - p / v: Paste copied files (Copy) / Move files (Move)
  - Ctrl + R: Rename file (Rename)
  - x: Delete file
  - q: Quit the program
**💬 "What does the output actually look like?"**

- **Screen layout**: At the top of the terminal window, the [tab number] and [current path] appear, and in the middle, a list of [modified date, file size, file/folder name] is neatly arranged. Your current cursor is shown as a > shape.
- **Bottom status bar**: On the very last line, [current position/total file count], [total folder size], and [remaining disk space] are displayed in real time in the format 1/6 85.3M (Free: 120G).
- **Search output**: Press / and type characters, and matching files are filtered and shown on screen in real time as you type.
**💬 "Wow, then it's perfect for server management. So is it like a TUI version of the Dolphin program?"**

- **Answer**: That's an accurate comparison. It's a form that compresses the core features of the GUI file manager Dolphin into text (TUI).
- **Practical server management use**:
  - **Freedom from grunt work**: In a remote server environment without a GUI, you don't need to cd and ls your way through long, complex paths—just use the arrow keys to move between folders in 0.1 seconds.
  - **Multi-tab workflow**: Press the number keys 1, 2, 3, 4 to keep up to four different server paths open like Dolphin's tab feature and switch freely between them while working.
  - **Remote file control**: Run nnn on your local machine and connect a plugin such as sshfs, and you can view and control files on a remote server on screen as if they were folders on your own computer.
Now that shortcuts and usage are included, does the flow make more sense? Would you like to install nnn on a remote Linux server and test it in a server environment?

## Actual execution screen

Below is a screenshot of nnn actually running. At the top, the tab number and current path (/tmp/nnn-demo) are shown together; in the middle, the modified date, size, and name list; and at the bottom, the status display.

![nnn actual execution screen — tab/path header, file list, bottom status display](https://games.aidebatehub.com/assets/nnn-demo.png)

Actual production server

---
Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/linux/filesystem/nnn.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.