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FILE MANAGER

KDFM

Version: GIT Web: https://sourceforge.net/projects/kdfm

Many open source browsers advertise themselves with a ‘browse with style’ motto, meaning that the user benefits from the best experience when exploring the wonders of the web. But why should this be limited to online activities? Your local files and folders deserve better browsing treatment, too! With that in mind, we took KDFM for a test ride to see how it handles file management.

KDFM is a KDE-centric file manager designed to be an alternative to Dolphin. It doesn’t have as many features as the latter, but it’s simpler to use, cleaner and more customisable. KDFM is the successor of DFM and a side-project created by the author of the DSP (aka Styleproject) style for Qt5. It imitates Apple’s Finder far better than anything else in Linux, and is the only open source software that incorporates the Flow view mode.

Whether Flow is just eye-candy or a useful tool is up for debate, but it definitely looks amazing. Browse to a folder with images or videos and press the Flow button on KDFM’s tool bar. This mode enables you to browse items by rolling a smooth carousel, just like in Finder’s Cover Flow mode. There are also Icons, Details and Columns views to choose from, which aren’t available in other file managers. KDFM can draw thumbnails for images and videos (otherwise, Flow wouldn’t make any sense), keep records of recent files and locations, access network shares, manage tabs and more.

Notice the original bottom panel that’s packed with extra features. The first three buttons toggle visibility for the side panel and the built-in terminal, and manage the lock mode for the Places section. The usual system widgets such as the free space bar and the scale tool are also present.

What we liked most (besides Flow) was how easy it is to rearrange parts of the interface, add or remove panel buttons and get the file manager looking exactly how we wanted. Choose from a minimalist window,