Path Finder to mq-dir: succeeding the discontinued classic

Path Finder was the leading commercial Mac file manager for a decade. Cocoatech stopped development in 2023; the last builds run rough on macOS 15+ without notarization. The community has been waiting for a successor.

mq-dir doesn't replace Path Finder feature-for-feature (no current app does), but it covers the core 80% cleanly and adds quad-pane parallelism Path Finder didn't have. This is the practical migration guide.

Should you migrate now?

Yes if:

• You used Path Finder primarily for: dual-pane, tabs, preview, sidebar, navigation.
• You'd benefit from quad-pane (4 simultaneous folders) — Path Finder couldn't do this.
• You want active development (new features land monthly).
• macOS unnotarized-binary warnings bother you.

Wait if:

• You depend daily on Drop Stack (no current alternative).
• You depend on Path Finder modules (terminal pane, hex viewer, etc.).
• You depend on custom commands / toolbar buttons.
• Your workflow is extremely customized in ways no off-the-shelf alternative will fit.

Most users land in "yes, migrate now" but it's worth being honest with yourself.

Pre-migration prep

1. Audit your Path Finder usage

Be specific. List the top 10 things you do daily:

• "I open dual-pane and copy from Downloads to project folders."
• "I drop files into Drop Stack as I browse, then batch-move at end of day."
• "I use the Terminal module to peek at git status without leaving."
• "I have 25 bookmarks I navigate via the sidebar."

2. Categorize each as core vs tail

• Core: dual-pane, tabs, preview, sidebar, navigation, search.
• Tail: Drop Stack, modules, custom commands, per-folder column customization.

mq-dir replaces core. Tail needs companion tools or workflow changes.

3. Decide your tail-feature plan

For each tail feature you use daily, decide:

• Wait for mq-dir v0.2/v0.3 to add it (Drop Stack-equivalent in batch ops).
• Replace with companion app (Hex Fiend, Terminal.app, Hammerspoon).
• Keep Path Finder for that specific workflow.

Day 1 — Install + run alongside

brew install --cask mq-dir

Don't uninstall Path Finder. Both run side by side.

Open mq-dir. Configure to roughly match your Path Finder layout:

• ⌥⌘2 for two panes (or ⌥⌘4 for four if you want to try).
• Add a few favorites by dragging from a pane to the sidebar.

Start using mq-dir for new file ops. Use Path Finder for muscle-memory tasks initially.

Day 2-7 — Port favorites and projects

Favorites

In mq-dir's sidebar, drag your most-used 10-20 folders into Favorites. This replicates Path Finder's bookmark sidebar.

Projects (mq-dir's unique feature)

Path Finder doesn't have this; mq-dir does. If you used Path Finder windows for different projects (Mail-attachments-window, Code-window, Design-window), each becomes a Project in mq-dir:

1. Configure mq-dir for "Project A" — set up panes and tabs.
2. Sidebar → Projects → "+" → name "Project A".
3. Reconfigure for "Project B".
4. Save as "Project B".

Click between them in the sidebar; layouts swap. Outgoing project auto-saves.

This is actually better than Path Finder's window approach.

Week 2 — Exercise the tail features

Try doing the things you used Path Finder's advanced features for. Discover where mq-dir falls short and decide:

Drop Stack equivalent

mq-dir doesn't have this in v0.1.x. Options:

• Wait for v0.2 batch operations — closest mq-dir replacement coming.
• Shell script workflow — find + mv to batch-collect.
• Keep Path Finder for Drop Stack-specific tasks.

Most users find Drop Stack was used less than they thought; the workflow shifts to "select multiple files in mq-dir, move to a target folder."

Module: Terminal

Path Finder had a terminal pane embedded. mq-dir doesn't.

Replace with:

• Warp or iTerm2 in a separate window (or tmux/cmux pane next to mq-dir).
• mq-dir → right-click any folder → "Open in Terminal" launches Terminal.app at that path.
• mq-dir's sidebar CMUX section if you use cmux.

Module: Hex viewer

Replace with Hex Fiend (free, open-source, native Mac).

brew install --cask hex-fiend

Right-click a binary file → Open With → Hex Fiend.

Module: Image viewer

Replace with macOS Preview (built-in, free, capable).

mq-dir's preview pane already shows images; for editing, double-click to open in Preview.

Custom commands / toolbar buttons

Replace with Hammerspoon for shell-command-bound shortcuts. Or wait for mq-dir's v0.3+ plugin API.

brew install --cask hammerspoon

Week 3 — Decide and (maybe) uninstall

By now your Path Finder muscle memory has faded. You're either:

• Comfortable in mq-dir + companions: uninstall Path Finder.
• Still missing tail features: keep Path Finder for those specific workflows; use mq-dir for everything else.

Both outcomes are fine. The migration doesn't have to be 100%.

Path Finder feature → mq-dir + companion mapping

What you gain

Beyond replacing Path Finder, mq-dir adds:

Quad-pane

Path Finder was 2-pane. mq-dir does 4. For multi-project / multi-AI-agent workflows this is genuinely new.

Religious state persistence

Path Finder's was good for its era; mq-dir's is uncompromising. Force-quit-survival-tested.

Modern macOS posture

mq-dir is notarized for current macOS. Path Finder's last builds aren't.

Open source + zero telemetry

Path Finder was closed; mq-dir is MIT, source on GitHub.

Active development

Path Finder is dead; mq-dir ships features monthly.

Common migration friction

"I miss Drop Stack"

Real. Wait for v0.2; in the meantime, "select all the files I want, move to a working folder, then operate on them" is the workflow.

"Where's the Terminal module?"

Open Terminal.app side-by-side. Or use cmux + mq-dir's CMUX sidebar section.

"My toolbar buttons are gone"

mq-dir doesn't have customizable toolbars yet. Hammerspoon for shortcuts; v0.3+ plugins for in-app integration.

"Per-folder column widths reset"

mq-dir's columns are global, not per-folder. Adjust your column setup once for what works across most folders.

End-of-month checklist

After a month with mq-dir + companions:

• You can navigate without thinking via ⌘1-4 and ⌥⌘1-4.
• Your top 20 folders are in Favorites or Projects.
• You've replaced your 2-3 most-used Path Finder modules with companion apps.
• You've decided whether to keep Path Finder for tail features or uninstall.

Verdict

Path Finder users in 2026 face a real choice: stay on a frozen app, or migrate to a 80%-complete alternative.

mq-dir is the closest spiritual successor. The migration takes a week of muscle-memory relearning plus some workflow adjustment. After that, most ex-Path-Finder users are comfortable.

The remaining 20% (Drop Stack, modules) needs companion tools or v0.2 patience. For users who can't accept either, Path Finder remains usable for the medium term.

brew install --cask mq-dir
brew install --cask hex-fiend
brew install --cask warp     # or iTerm2
brew install --cask hammerspoon  # if you want automation

Total cost: $0. mq-dir is free, MIT, zero telemetry. The companions are all free.

For Path Finder refugees, this is the most honest answer in 2026.