27 posts
Default Folder X augments macOS dialogs without replacing Finder. Forklift/mq-dir replace Finder entirely. Different problems — but which combo earns its space?
Path Finder hasn't shipped since 2023. Where its users actually moved — Forklift, mq-dir, Marta, Yazi — and which lands closest, depending on use case.
Both tools edit files. They have very different opinions about which files, how many at once, and where their working memory lives. Here's the honest comparison from someone who runs both daily.
Commander One markets itself as Total Commander for Mac. How accurate is that? An honest comparison from a Total Commander veteran.
Three AI coding tools that overlap on the surface but optimize for different workflows. Here's the decision tree for picking the right one per task.
Forklift is the polished commercial dual-pane standard. Marta is the keyboard-first vim-leaning alternative. Both serious about file management but for different brains.
Two-pane file managers ruled the 90s; the workloads they were built for don't match modern parallel work. Here's an honest look at when four panes is the right shape — and when it's overkill.
Finder hasn't changed in a decade and AI workflows didn't exist when it was designed. A practical comparison of seven Finder alternatives — including who they're for, what they cost, and where each one breaks down.
nnn is the legendary minimalist; Yazi is the modern Rust challenger. After a year of running both, here's the honest comparison.
Total Commander defined dual-pane on Windows. Q-Dir defined quad-pane. Both still ship in 2026. Which fits which workflow — and what about Mac users?
Aider and Claude Code both do agent-style coding from a terminal. They diverge on git workflow, model flexibility, and edit precision. The honest comparison for refactor work.
Finder is free and integrated everywhere. Forklift costs $19.95 and adds dual-pane, SFTP, sync. Is it worth it for your workflow? An honest yes/no breakdown.
Forklift is the polished native Mac veteran. Commander One is the Total Commander successor. They overlap heavily but feel quite different. The honest comparison.
Marta is a GUI keyboard-first file manager; nnn is a terminal one. Both serve vim-style users. Where do they fit, and which fits your hand?
Path Finder hasn't shipped since 2023. Forklift kept going. If you're still on Path Finder reluctantly, here's the honest comparison plus a third option.
ranger is the vim-philosophy terminal file manager that influenced a generation. mq-dir is the GUI quad-pane app for parallel work. The careful comparison.
Default Folder X augments macOS Open/Save dialogs; mq-dir replaces Finder for navigation. They solve adjacent problems and most users want both.
Yazi is the fastest-growing terminal file manager of 2025-2026 — Rust-built, async, with rich previews. mq-dir is the GUI quad-pane Mac app. When does each fit?
nnn is the legendary terminal file manager — fast, minimal, scriptable. mq-dir is its GUI counterpart in a different design space. When does each fit?
Directory Opus is the most feature-rich file manager ever made. mq-dir is the opinionated minimalist counterpoint. The honest comparison from someone who respects both.
Total Commander defined dual-pane file management on Windows for 30 years. mq-dir takes that lineage to macOS and adds a fourth pane. Here's the careful comparison.
Q-Dir is the legendary Windows quad-pane file manager. If you switched to Mac and missed it, mq-dir is the closest spiritual heir — with native macOS polish.
Finder is fine for most users. If you've started feeling friction — windows resetting, no parallel views, scroll position lost — here's what you actually gain by switching.
Path Finder has been discontinued since 2023, but its userbase hasn't migrated yet. Here's an honest comparison with mq-dir as a successor — what you keep, what you lose, what you gain.
Commander One is Total Commander's spiritual successor on Mac. mq-dir is the quad-pane native challenger. The full comparison from a developer who lives in both.
Marta is the Total Commander successor for keyboard purists. mq-dir is the native quad-pane app for parallel workflows. They look similar; they're built for different brains.
Forklift is the polished commercial dual-pane standard. mq-dir is the open-source quad-pane challenger. An honest side-by-side comparing every axis that matters.