Terminal file manager that actually feels fast - built in Rust with async I/O, image previews, Vim keys, and a plugin system that doesn't suck

If you’ve ever rage-quit from sluggish GUI file managers or felt betrayed by clunky terminal alternatives, Yazi might restore your faith. This isn’t another barely-functional TUI - it’s genuinely fast because everything runs async, from file operations to image previews. While other file managers choke on large directories, Yazi stays responsive by spreading work across threads and never blocking the UI.

The feature set reads like a wishlist: native image protocol support (no more broken previews), syntax highlighting, bulk renaming, archive extraction, and a Lua plugin system that lets you customize nearly everything. It integrates seamlessly with ripgrep, fd, fzf, and zoxide - tools you probably already use. The Vim-style navigation feels natural, multi-tab support handles complex workflows, and the built-in package manager keeps plugins updated without manual fiddling.

With 35k+ stars and active development, Yazi has momentum behind it. The project is honest about being in beta, but developers are already using it daily. If you spend serious time in terminals and want file management that doesn’t feel like a compromise, this deserves a spot in your toolchain.

⭐ Stars: 35093
💻 Language: Rust
🔗 Repository: sxyazi/yazi