lf

A terminal file manager written in Go with a heavy inspiration from ranger file manager.

Runs as lf|macOS, Linux, Windows|github.com

Command form

ai-draft · 3 tasks · 9 fields

Start the lf file manager in a directory, optionally with extra startup commands, a config file, or shell-integration output. Remote control, profiling and server flags are left out.

Opens the form; the finished command lands at your prompt, unrun

Run in Otty

otty gui lf

Open lfExample values, fixed in this page — nothing here reaches a terminal

Basic

Start directory

any

TasksEach one presets the form for one job

Browse a directory

start_dir

Use as a file picker

start_dirprint_selectionselection_path

Record last directory

start_dirlast_dir_path

ParametersOnly these flags are editable in the form

Start directory

path · positional 0

Startup command

lf command run after the config is read; repeat for several.
string · repeatable

-command

Config file

path

-config

Print selection on exit

boolean

-print-selection

Write selection to file

path

-selection-path

Print last directory on exit

boolean

-print-last-dir

Write last directory to file

path

-last-dir-path

Stand-alone (no server)

boolean

-single

Log file

path

-log

SourcesEvery flag above is checked against these

doc

**-command** *command* **-config** *path* **-last-dir-path** *path* **-log** *path* **-print-last-dir** **-print-selection** **-selection-path** *path* **-single** [*path*] Execute *command* during client initialization (i.e. after reading configuration, before `on-init`). To execute more than one command, you can either use the **-command** flag multiple ti…

manual2026-10

github.com

Before it fills your prompt, Otty checks the installed lf against its version. A form that does not match your version is not offered.