mq-dir vs Q-Dir: a Mac-native quad-pane for Q-Dir refugees

Q-Dir is the four-pane file manager that everyone on Windows knows by reputation, has tried at least once, and either loves or doesn't get. For the loves-it crowd switching to Mac, the missing-Q-Dir feeling is real and never quite goes away. mq-dir is the closest analog that exists in 2026.

This is the comparison from someone who used Q-Dir for 8 years and now builds mq-dir.

TL;DR

• mq-dir is the spiritual successor to Q-Dir on macOS — same quad-pane core, native Mac polish.
• Some Q-Dir specifics didn't transfer (colored backgrounds, asymmetric layouts, F-key shortcuts) — by design or just not yet.
• mq-dir adds things Q-Dir doesn't have (per-tab preview/tree, projects, religious persistence, macOS-native everything).

Side-by-side

What Q-Dir users will love about mq-dir

The four-pane core is intact

⌥⌘4 enters the 2×2 layout. ⌘1–4 cycles focus. Each pane has independent folder, sort, scroll, history. The reason you loved Q-Dir works exactly the same way.

Per-pane tabs with history

⌘T opens a new tab in the focused pane. ⌘W closes. ⌘[ / ⌘] navigate history within a tab. This is Q-Dir's pattern, transferred 1:1.

Filter inside a pane

⌘F filters the visible folder by typing. ⌘⇧F does recursive search. Same pattern as Q-Dir's quick filter.

State persistence (better than Q-Dir's)

Q-Dir's persistence was OK; mq-dir's is religious. Layout, panes, tabs, sort, scroll, focus — all survive force-quit, schema bumps, machine migrations. Q-Dir users who lost work to "the layout reset itself" will appreciate this.

What's different in mq-dir

No colored pane backgrounds (yet)

Q-Dir's distinctive blue/green/red/yellow pane tints help orient when you have 4 panes side-by-side. mq-dir uses the macOS-conventional "focused pane has accent outline" approach — single focus indicator, no background coloring.

This is a deliberate aesthetic choice for Mac users (colored backgrounds clash with system theme) but if you specifically loved Q-Dir's color routing, it's a step back.

We've discussed colored panes as a v0.3+ option. Comment on the GitHub repo if you'd find it useful.

Symmetric 2×2 only

Q-Dir's "1+3" or "3+1" asymmetric layouts (one pane large + three small) aren't in mq-dir today. Possible to add — the architecture supports arbitrary layouts — but not v0.x priority.

If you used those asymmetric layouts heavily, mq-dir is currently a step back. If you mostly used the symmetric 4-quadrant view, no difference.

macOS shortcuts, not F-keys

Q-Dir's F2 (rename), F3 (open), F5 (refresh), F8 (delete) muscle memory doesn't transfer. mq-dir uses macOS conventions: Enter (rename), ⌘O (open), no manual refresh (live updates), ⌘⌫ (move to trash).

This is a real adaptation cost for Q-Dir veterans. Plan a 2-week relearning period.

Per-tab preview/tree (mq-dir advantage)

Q-Dir's preview pane is a single right-side panel, window-scoped. mq-dir's preview is per-tab — each tab independently has preview on/off, with its own selected file rendering. For comparing four files visually across four panes, mq-dir wins.

The per-tab tree view (toggleable VS Code-style file tree inside any tab) is also unique to mq-dir.

Projects (mq-dir advantage)

Q-Dir doesn't have named workspace snapshots. mq-dir does — save layout + pane tabs + focus as "Project A", switch to "Project B" with one click. For multi-project workflows, this is a significant addition.

What you might miss from Q-Dir

Honest list:

1. Colored pane backgrounds.
2. Asymmetric layouts (1+3, 3+1).
3. Old keyboard muscle memory (F-keys).
4. The exact look — Q-Dir is unmistakably Windows; mq-dir is unmistakably Mac.

If those are dealbreakers, no Mac alternative will satisfy you (and frankly, neither will Q-Dir running in Wine — Q-Dir is genuinely Windows-native).

Migration playbook (Windows → Mac → mq-dir)

If you're literally about to make the switch:

1. Day 1: install mq-dir. brew install --cask mq-dir.
2. Day 1-7: use only mq-dir for file management on the new Mac. Resist the urge to install third-party tools. Learn the Mac shortcuts.
3. Week 2: set up your three or four most-used projects as named Projects in mq-dir.
4. Week 3: re-evaluate. By now your Q-Dir muscle memory has faded enough to fairly compare.

Most ex-Q-Dir users land happily in mq-dir within a month. Some miss the asymmetric layouts; few miss the colored backgrounds for long.

What we want to add for ex-Q-Dir users

The roadmap items most relevant to this audience:

1. Colored pane backgrounds (optional, off by default).
2. Asymmetric layouts (1+3, 3+1).
3. Optional Q-Dir-style "ribbon" toolbar mode (low priority).

If any of these would tip you off the fence, file an issue on the repo.

Verdict

Q-Dir was the original four-pane file manager that mainstream Mac never had. mq-dir is what it might have looked like if Q-Dir had been built native macOS from scratch in 2026 — same core idea (quad-pane parallelism), modern foundations (SwiftUI + AppKit, full state persistence), open-source, free.

It's not a 1:1 port. It is the closest spiritual heir.

For Q-Dir users newly on Mac: install mq-dir as your first move. The learning curve is small, and the four-pane comfort returns within a day.