Compare software

lf vs clifm: catalog facts
lf	clifm
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Linux, Command line
A single static binary with no runtime dependencies and near-instant startup Asynchronous IO, so a slow directory never freezes the interface	Works inside the shell prompt with no full-screen interface Plugin support
No tabs or windows by design; you use your terminal multiplexer instead No built-in pager or editor	Command-driven approach takes time to learn No visual panes, unlike ranger or nnn
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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