Commander One: a powerful, dual-pane Mac file manager that puts Apple’s Finder to shame [sponsored]

Managing your files inwards macOS, browsing network volumes, using Dropbox without downloading information to your Mac, sharing items betwixt iOS devices in addition to your figurer in addition to performing other file operations inwards the Finder—all those everyday tasks move out a lot to survive desired. Enter Commander One, a free, productivity-focused Mac file managing director from US-based developer Eltima that’s everything Apple’s annoying Finder wishes it could be, in addition to thence around more.

In the historic menses of MS-DOS dorsum inwards the ’80s, Norton Commander was all the rage.

Throwback to the ’90s: subject back upwards inwards Norton Commander—that is, Commander One

But wouldn’t it survive groovy if at that spot were such affair every bit Norton Commander-alike file managing director for macOS that gave you lot far meliorate functionality than Apple’s aging Finder always could?

Welcome to Commander One

Commander One is a costless orthodox Mac file managing director for the modern historic menses (orthodox inwards a feel that it follows a two-panel paradigm) heavily influenced past times Norton Commander.

Made exclusively inwards Swift, Commander One is a fast in addition to nimble slice of software which brings rich file managing director functionality to your Mac. It rocks a double-pane layout that makes working amongst files a breeze. Make no error almost it, this is a powerful app that volition boost your productivity tremendously every bit opposed to Apple’s at times irritating Finder.

Moving files betwixt folders inwards side-by-side persuasion is super convenient

Productivity starts amongst a two-pane layout, unlimited tabs, iii unlike persuasion modes (Full, Brief in addition to Thumbs, similar to Finder’s List, Column in addition to Icon views) in addition to a diversity of sorting options that brand copying files betwixt destinations slow without needing to proceed multiple Finder windows/tabs opened upwards in addition to re-create files betwixt them, which is irksome in addition to cumbersome.

Fast Finder alternative

With multi-item selection, you lot tin copy, move, delete in addition to rename a grouping of non-contiguous files, in addition to it all happens within Commander One thence you lot don’t fifty-fifty conduct maintain to opened upwards a unmarried Finder window. You tin fifty-fifty rename files in addition to folders when moving them inwards ane cruel swoop.

Many devices, including DLSRs in addition to video cameras, tin survive mounted inwards Commander One

Unlike the Finder, this app lets you lot opened upwards frequently-accessed files via a dedicated Favorites department or access previously accessed items inwards a handy History section. Pro users volition similar that most of the complex actions tin survive triggered amongst custom keyboard combinations.

When browsing a bunch of files in addition to folders, switch to a to a greater extent than convenient Brief persuasion that doesn’t display file meta data, which speeds upwards performance significantly. Multiple file operations tin survive queued (including ones that conduct maintain already started). The app runs file tasks inwards the background thence you lot tin easily piece of employment amongst multiple Commander One windows.

Built-in archiver

Even better, amongst Commander One you lot tin compress in addition to unpack files every bit ZIP, TAR, RAR or 7ZIP archives out of the box—no additional software needed. And whereas the Finder hides the arrangement in addition to hidden files from your view, Commander One treats them similar normal files thence you lot larn total access to your Mac’s file system. You tin toggle betwixt showing or hiding hidden files amongst a click, no demand to utilization Terminal commands for that!

Advanced search

macOS has Spotlight in addition to Commander One has built-in search that automatically indexes contents of your documents in addition to archives thence you lot tin honor that needle inwards the haystack past times typing relevant keywords, search for the words within a document in addition to fifty-fifty select text encoding.

Built-in search supports regular expressions

It supports regular expressions for doing to a greater extent than precise searches that are illustration sensitive.

FTP & cloud-storage support

Aside from local files, you lot tin access your NAS devices, connect to remote servers via FTP, SFTP or FTPS (and alter remote file permissions amongst these protocols), recollect information from iOS in addition to Android devices connected past times wire or wirelessly, mountain an unlimited set out of Dropbox accounts in addition to more—all without always leaving Commander One.

Access your online files amongst FTP in addition to WebDAV support

FTP support is peculiarly robust, allowing the app to double every bit your FTP client.

With total protocol support, you lot tin transfer in addition to part your files via FTP, SFTP or amongst total FTPS for maximum security. Even better, ane time you lot map your FTP server every bit a local drive, Commander One is able to piece of employment amongst your remote files every bit if they were located on your computer.

You tin utilization drag in addition to drib to motility files betwixt multiple FTP servers, performa mutual file operations similar copy, delete, create, edit in addition to thence forth.

Working amongst iOS in addition to Android files

If you lot detest iTunes, mountain your iPhone every bit an external drive to access iOS’s User in addition to Media folders to transfer photos, videos in addition to other information past times means of drag in addition to drop. It plant amongst IPA (iOS), APK (Android), JAR in addition to EAR (Java archives) in addition to WAR (Web Application Resource) file types only similar amongst regular folders, no demand to extract anything or utilization special apps.

Browsing the files on my Apple TV 4K (left) inwards Commander One

You tin preview whatever supported particular without opening it (including hex in addition to binary files) via an internal viewer or Apple’s QuickLook or Preview, the selection is yours. And if you lot run your ain blog, editing those htaccess, robots.txt in addition to other website configuration files amongst Commander One volition survive a cinch.

Tobust Android file transfer support lets Mac in addition to Android larn along thence you lot tin motility content from your Mac to an Android smartphone, tablet or around other device amongst drag in addition to drop.

Thanks to MTP mode, you lot larn an fifty-fifty easier access to your Android device when using wired USB connections—just connect your device inwards MTP fashion to the figurer in addition to it volition larn automatically available every bit a mounted drive inwards Commander One.

And because Commander One supports mounting Android devices, you lot tin really ticker movies, banking concern check photos or heed to the music on the Android device without needing to re-create content to your figurer beforehand.

Dropbox et al

It’s peculiarly cool that Dropbox Business is supported amongst extensive safety features. Dropbox back upwards plant without needing to install Dropbox’s desktop syncing client. This lets you lot exercise things similar motility items betwixt multiple Dropbox accounts or cloud providers without having to download them first.

Accessing files inwards your Dropbox straight inwards Commander One

Commander One likewise integrates amongst other pop cloud-storage services, such every bit Amazon S3, Google Drive in addition to OneDrive. This makes it really convenient to grapple your cloud files in addition to folders directly, without copying whatever information on your Mac.

Highly customizable

And concluding but non least, a rich app similar this would survive useless if you lot had to adjust your workflow inwards companionship to utilization it efficiently. Thankfully, that’s non the illustration because Commander One is highly customizable via a Preferences card where you lot tin customize the hotkeys, default apps, adjust settings for the built-in archiver, switch themes, alter the file listing font, cursor in addition to background color, selection color in addition to more—to really larn inwards your own.

Customizing hotkeys to your liking volition brand you lot fifty-fifty to a greater extent than productive

Other perks include viewing the listing of active arrangement processes, adjusting defaults for the Finder’s “Open With” contextual menu, WebDAV connexion mapping for quick access to your online files, the mightiness to part Dropbox files every bit links amongst only a few clicks, in addition to more.

There are likely to a greater extent than capabilities included inwards Commander One than you lot tin explore.

Commander One lets you lot meet in addition to force-quit misbehaving processes running on your Mac

This is only a gustatory modality of all the goodies that this capable file managing director brings to the table. For the total breakdown of all the features inwards Commander One, see the official website.

Summing up

To pre-empt your possible question: Commander One is a full-on dual-pane file managing director rather than to a greater extent than of an “overlay” software like, say, PathFinder is, thence there’s that.

You’ll experience correct at dwelling inwards Command One

One affair is certain: if you’ve been on the picket for a to a greater extent than elegant, faster in addition to to a greater extent than convenient means to piece of employment amongst files on your Mac, expect no farther than Commander One. Not only volition this app brand your workflow smoother, you’ll survive to a greater extent than productive in addition to salvage precious fourth dimension every bit a effect of incorporating it into your daily routine.

Switching from the PC world? You’ll honor Commander One an ultimate replacement for Christian Ghisle’s dear Total Commander (formerly Windows Commander).

Pricing in addition to availability

Commander One is costless to download. You tin utilization all its features without restrictions for xv days earlier the to a greater extent than advanced ones larn locked behind a Pro upgrade, materials similar the built-in FTP client, archiver, Terminal emulation in addition to additional perks similar browsing iOS/Android devices, theming in addition to Dropbox integration in addition to sharing Dropbox links.

Benefits of upgrading from costless to Pro edition of Commander One

Commander One is available from Mac App Store every bit a freemium download. H5N1 one-time $29.99 in-app buy unlocks the Pro edition next your 15-day lawsuit menses (licenses are likewise available from the Eltima website).

Alternatively, larn the $29.99 Pro edition correct away past times downloading Commander One Pro.

The app is fully compatible amongst OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later.

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