Far Manager

Far Manager: The Terminal File Manager That Refuses to Die Some tools stick around not because they’re flashy — but because they work. Far Manager is one of those. It’s not modern. It doesn’t pretend to be. But for those who live in the terminal, it’s oddly perfect.

Launched back in the DOS era and still maintained today, Far is a text-based file manager for Windows that runs inside the console — full keyboard control, plugins galore, and more power than you’d expect from a “blue-screen two-pan

OS: Windows, Linux, macOS
Size: 11 MB
Version: 4
🡣: 17,010 downloads

Far Manager: The Terminal File Manager That Refuses to Die

Some tools stick around not because they’re flashy — but because they work. Far Manager is one of those. It’s not modern. It doesn’t pretend to be. But for those who live in the terminal, it’s oddly perfect.

Launched back in the DOS era and still maintained today, Far is a text-based file manager for Windows that runs inside the console — full keyboard control, plugins galore, and more power than you’d expect from a “blue-screen two-panel thing.”

If you’ve ever used Norton Commander, Midnight Commander, or anything similar — this is that idea, done right, for Windows.

What It Does (And Why It’s Still Around)

Feature Why It’s Actually Useful
Dual-pane interface Keyboard-first layout — fast navigation, no mouse needed
Console-based UI Runs in any terminal — perfect for RDP, headless setups, or recovery
Plugin system Extensions for FTP, SFTP, registry, editors, syntax highlighting
File viewer/editor Built-in hex/text viewer, editable inline
Macro scripting Automate tasks with recorded key sequences
Color themes Fully customizable — even for ANSI lovers
Search & filter tools Find files, content, patterns — instantly
Archive support Browse inside ZIP, RAR, 7z without extracting
No installer needed Portable versions available
Multilingual Available in many languages, supports Unicode

Why People Still Use It (Seriously)

Far isn’t for everyone. But if you work on servers, debug scripts, or just prefer doing things with your keyboard — it makes a lot of sense. Some use cases:
– File maintenance on remote servers over RDP or console-only access
– Managing folders and configs on jump hosts or bastion boxes
– Bulk renaming, moving, and filtering files with macros
– Running custom scripts or git commands from within panels
– Working in restricted environments where GUIs aren’t an option
– Old hardware, recovery environments, or VMs with no desktop

And honestly? Some people just love how fast it feels once your fingers remember the shortcuts.

Getting Started (In Minutes)

1. Download from → https://farmanager.com
Choose x64, x86, or portable build

2. Unzip and launch Far.exe
No installation required

3. Customize look & behavior
Change color scheme, file panels, hotkeys — everything is editable

4. Add plugins (optional)
Popular ones include:
– FTP/SFTP access
– Compare tools
– Syntax highlighting
– Registry browsing
– Console Git integration

5. Start working
Navigation is intuitive if you’ve used Total Commander, MC, or any old-school panel tool.

Worth Noting

– Windows-only, but can run inside WINE or on WinPE
– Not touch-friendly (and that’s fine)
– Some plugins are community-made — test before production use
– Scripting is powerful but takes time to master
– Help system is built-in and very good (F1 is your friend)

Far Manager isn’t trying to win over modern UI lovers. It’s built for people who care more about control than convenience — and who don’t mind typing instead of clicking. If that’s you, this old-school blue-screen app might just earn a permanent spot on your desktop.

Far Manager: Comprehensive Backup Solution Setup

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, data storage and management become increasingly important. One of the most critical aspects of data management is creating backups. In this article, we’ll explore how to utilize Far Manager as a comprehensive backup solution, covering jobs, reports, and test restores.

Understanding the Importance of Data Backup

Data backup is a process of creating copies of data to ensure its safety and integrity. It’s an essential part of any data management strategy, as it allows users to recover their data in case of a hardware failure, software corruption, or other data loss scenarios.

Far Manager is a powerful and versatile file manager that offers a range of features for data backup and management. In this article, we’ll dive into the process of setting up Far Manager for offsite backups, including creating repeatable jobs, retention rules, and encrypted repositories.

Setting Up Far Manager for Offsite Backups

To set up Far Manager for offsite backups, follow these steps:

  • Create a new job by navigating to the Jobs menu and selecting ‘New Job.’
  • Configure the job settings, including the source and destination directories, file filters, and retention rules.
  • Select the ‘Offsite Backup’ option to enable offsite backup capabilities.
  • Configure the offsite backup settings, including the encryption method and repository location.

Once you’ve set up the job, you can schedule it to run automatically using the built-in scheduler.

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Creating Repeatable Jobs

One of the key features of Far Manager is its ability to create repeatable jobs. This allows users to automate their backup process, ensuring that their data is consistently backed up without manual intervention.

To create a repeatable job, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Jobs menu and select ‘New Job.’
  2. Configure the job settings, including the source and destination directories, file filters, and retention rules.
  3. Select the ‘Repeatable Job’ option to enable repeatable job capabilities.
  4. Configure the repeatable job settings, including the schedule and recurrence.

Retention Rules and Encrypted Repositories

Retention rules and encrypted repositories are critical components of a comprehensive backup strategy. Retention rules determine how long backups are stored, while encrypted repositories ensure the security and integrity of the backed-up data.

Far Manager offers a range of retention rules and encryption methods, including:

Retention Rule Description
Daily Backup data daily, retaining the last 7 days of backups.
Weekly Backup data weekly, retaining the last 4 weeks of backups.
Monthly Backup data monthly, retaining the last 6 months of backups.

Far Manager also offers a range of encryption methods, including:

Encryption Method Description
AES-128 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption.
AES-256 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption.
SSL/TLS Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) encryption.

Test Restores and Reporting

Test restores and reporting are critical components of a comprehensive backup strategy. Test restores ensure that backups are recoverable, while reporting provides insights into the backup process.

Far Manager offers a range of reporting features, including:

Report Type Description
Backup Report Detailed report of the backup process, including successes and failures.
Restore Report Detailed report of the restore process, including successes and failures.
Job Report Detailed report of the job process, including successes and failures.

In conclusion, Far Manager is a powerful and versatile file manager that offers a range of features for data backup and management. By creating repeatable jobs, retention rules, and encrypted repositories, users can ensure the safety and integrity of their data. With its comprehensive reporting features, Far Manager provides insights into the backup process, ensuring that users can recover their data in case of a hardware failure, software corruption, or other data loss scenarios.

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