STAY IN THE ZONE01
Thought. Keystroke. There.
Arrow keys and hjkl navigation. Instant fuzzy search. Find files as the tree indexes, and keep your hands where your ideas happen.
hjkl navigatespace previewctrl L go anywhere
Navigate
every layer.
Your files, in their element. A fast, keyboard-first file manager
for Linux. Native by nature. Beautiful by choice.
THE INTERACTIVE INSTALLERReview script ↗
$
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lgse/strata/main/install.sh | bash Architecture detection · Verified downloads · Asks before sudo
Free & open sourceRust + GTK4Made for your flow
strata
assets · 10 filesnight-drive.pngbrand-guide.mdcolors.json
src · 3 filesmain.rstheme.rsbrowser.rs
docs · 2 filesgetting-started.mdarchitecture.md
Cargo.toml
README.md
LICENSE
assets
THE LONG WAY HOME INTERACTIVE WEB DEMOGo on, click around
Keep the whole path in view. Every folder opens a new layer, without losing where you came from.
This is an interactive web illustration, not the running Linux application.LESS OVERHEAD.
MORE POSSIBILITY.
MORE POSSIBILITY.
Powered by Rust
Truly native GTK4 + GIO
At home on Linux
Yours to explore Open source
01 / FIND YOUR FLOWLess friction.
Less friction.
More forward.
For the deep divers. The keyboard people.
The “I know exactly where that is” people.
Finally, a file manager that gets you.
LOOK CLOSER. STAY SAFE.02
Big previews. Small permissions.
Images, RAW, PDFs, code, audio, and video. Rich previews with isolated native parsers, plus GPU acceleration for supported video pipelines.
ISOLATED PROCESS
night-drive.pngImages. RAW. The full picture.Normalized, bounded output.
Untrusted files. A deliberately limited boundary.
PERFORMANCE, IN PERSPECTIVEThe fast parts.
The fast parts.
The honest parts.
Six file managers. Real workloads. A closer look at where Strata shines, and where there’s work to do.
135 MiB100k entries · sampled peak memory
12/12RAW thumbnails verified · only complete set here
Results from these test fixtures.
Not a promise for every machine.
ACTIVITY ≠ READINESS
100 MP4 videos
CPU activity settled
Lower is better- Strata (this app)1.73 s
- Dolphin3.15 s
- Krusader3.28 s
- Thunar3.59 s
- Nemo4.36 s
- Nautilus6.70 s
Elapsed seconds to the first CPU quiet period, not visual readiness.
Quiet doesn’t mean ready.
One run per manager. The quiet threshold is 5% of one CPU core for one second, including app-group helpers. It does not measure when content appears.
† Missing or incomplete RAW previews. A low time is not evidence of working previews in this installation.
‡ CPU activity resumed above the threshold during the two-second follow-up. This is the first quiet period, not permanent inactivity.
Strata reaches the first quiet period soonest for 100 MP4s in this run. It is not the quickest for JPEGs, and RAW comparisons are limited by missing or incomplete previews in the other managers.
Source chart WHERE WE SHINE
Big folders. Broader previews.
Lowest sampled peak memory at 100k entries. The only complete 12-file RAW preview set in this installation. A strong showing on PDFs, too.
WHERE WE NEED WORK
Thumbnail speed. Media memory.
Several peers render common image thumbnails sooner. Strata has the highest RAW memory peak here, and the second-highest for TIFF, MP4 and WEBM.
How to read these results
Values are transcribed from the six source comparison charts. Visual timings show the reported median capture bounds, not exact completion times. Bars run from zero to the lower bound; capped segments span the lower and upper bounds. Overlapping bounds should not be treated as clear wins. The source charts also show observed-run whiskers; those are not reproduced here.
Memory is sampled peak app-group charged memory, including cache, not just the main process’s RSS. Missing or incomplete previews are labeled, never plotted as zero-second results. Preview coverage describes this installation, not universal format support. The 2,000-JPEG fixture compares different visible thumbnail counts and layouts.
The source charts do not specify hardware, OS and application versions, cache state, or visual-test run counts. Treat these as fixture-specific observations, not a universal ranking or a reproducible benchmark report. CPU results are a separate, single-run measurement.
BEYOND THE BENCHMARKDifferent tools.
Different tools.
Different strengths.
Miller columns aren’t ours alone. Neither is network browsing. Compare what’s built in, what needs a companion, and where Strata still has gaps.
6 managers 16 capabilities Sources for every cellBuilt inAdd-onPartialNot foundUnverified
Select any cell for the definition, caveats and sources. Scroll to compare
| Capability | StrataThis app | Krusader | Dolphin | Nautilus | Nemo | Thunar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-language support | ||||||
| Miller columns | ||||||
| Recursive fuzzy search | ||||||
| In-app palette editor | ||||||
| Live Omarchy palette | ||||||
| Isolated native previews | ||||||
| Rich file preview | ||||||
| Network locations | ||||||
| Folder tabs | ||||||
| Independent split panes | ||||||
| Batch renaming | ||||||
| File-content search | ||||||
| Create / extract archives | ||||||
| Embedded terminal | ||||||
| Custom actions | ||||||
| File-provider context menus & decorations |
WHY STRATA
Miller navigation, an in-app palette editor, and mandatory isolation for original native-parser preview inputs. A particular combination, not a claim to own every feature.
WHY SOMETHING ELSE
Krusader, Dolphin, Nemo and Thunar offer independent split panes. Strata’s reviewed build lacks content search; batch renaming is available through custom actions.
Research scope & sources
Reviewed . Official documentation and public source were inspected for all six managers and relevant companion components. The pinned revisions below are development snapshots, not a promise about the latest stable packages and not the unidentified builds in the benchmark screenshots.
Strata’s language support reflects the 1.0 update, and folder tabs reflect the newer tabbed-navigation implementation. These entries, custom actions (including batch renaming), and the file-provider API link to specific source revisions; other assessments retain the original review scope.
This is a source review, not a hands-on certification of every feature or a security audit. “Not found” is limited to the reviewed built-in implementation; “Unverified” means the evidence is insufficient. Neither rules out third-party extensions. RAW results above describe the tested installation, not universal format support.
- Built in
- Integrated in the app. Runtime libraries, codecs or protocol backends may still be required.
- Add-on
- Provided through a separate extension or application, sometimes preinstalled by the distribution.
- Partial
- Related functionality exists, but its behavior or scope differs from the row’s definition.
- Not found
- No matching built-in feature found in the reviewed docs and implementation. Not a claim about every possible extension.
- Unverified
- The reviewed sources do not establish this capability. This is not a “no”.
Source review · · Development snapshots, not benchmark versions.
02 / A VERY PERSONAL SPACESame flow.
Same flow.
Your atmosphere.
95and counting.
Beloved editor palettes. Light or dark. All built in.
Ten favorites to try here. The full collection in Strata.
You’re looking at Tokyo Night. Yes, the whole site.
Your desktop changes. Strata follows.
Automatic, live palette sync with Omarchy Quattro. One switch. Everything in harmony.
03 / THE LITTLE THINGS ARE THE BIG THINGSConsider it
Consider it
taken care of.
The everyday essentials, thoughtfully put together.
Nothing between you and what’s next.
Every angle, covered.
Spatial Miller columns, a visual thumbnail grid, and a sortable Column view. Switch perspectives, not applications.
Keep the bigger picture.
Multiple Miller-column panes keep parent folders and your current location together. Context, without the backtracking.
A peek, not a detour.
Hover over a folder to see what’s inside. Commit when you’re ready, or move on without changing your navigation history.
Move things. Naturally.
Drag and drop. Cut, copy, and paste. Rename inline. Undo your latest move or move to Trash when plans change.
Far away. Right here.
Browse authenticated SMB and SFTP locations through GIO/GVfs. FTP and WebDAV, too, with the right system backends.
From file to paper.
Print supported documents and images straight from previews or the context menu. One less application to open.
A place for everything.
Group files by type, sort your way, toggle hidden files, and filter the current pane without losing your place.
Your kind of comfortable.
Adjust the text size. Go compact for more information, or airy for a little breathing room. Make space work for you.
The shortest way back.
Pin the places you use most. Jump through your navigation history. Enter a path directly, or open a terminal right here.
Updates, on your terms.
Opt in to automatic checks. Read what changed. Install verified release binaries only when you give the go-ahead.
Pick your pace.
Stay on Stable, explore Preview, or ride Nightly. Distinct release channels, with a clear way back to Stable.
Beyond the presets.
Build a palette with live previews in the app. Save it as a shareable TOML theme. Your desktop deserves your signature.
Speaks 11 languages.
Shortcuts work on any keyboard layout. A key pressed on a Cyrillic or other non-Latin layout resolves to its QWERTY position, so j and k still move you.
- English
- Français
- Deutsch
- Español
- 日本語
- Português (Brasil)
- 한국어
- Tiếng Việt
- Italiano
- Русский
- 简体中文
Built in the open. Getting better, together.Shape what’s next
LESS SEARCHING. MORE FINDING.Meet your
Your machine. Your call. Review the installer first.
Meet your
new daily driver.
Take the long way through your files.
It’s finally the good part.
x86_64 & aarch64 · Arch & Omarchy first · GPL-3.0-or-later
YOUR TERMINAL. ONE COMMAND.bash
$
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lgse/strata/main/install.sh | bash Architecture detection · Verified downloads · Asks before sudo
A FEW MORE LAYERS
Good questions.
Here’s the short version.
The source has the long one.
What do I need to run Strata?
A 64-bit, glibc-based Linux desktop with GTK 4.12+ and glibc 2.39+. Arch Linux and Omarchy are the primary supported environments; x86_64 and aarch64 release binaries are available. Other distributions need compatible runtime libraries, or a source build. The installer checks your architecture and dependencies before making changes.
Does it work without Omarchy?
Yes. Strata is a native GTK4 application and works on compatible Linux desktops. Omarchy Quattro adds automatic, live theme following, but it is entirely optional. You can always use a bundled palette or your own custom theme.
How are previews sandboxed?
Native image, RAW, PDF, thumbnail, and media parsers run in separate Bubblewrap-isolated helpers with no network, no capabilities, read-only input, and resource limits. Media helpers can receive allowlisted GPU render devices for acceleration. If isolation is unavailable, native previews fail closed. Plain text and source code use a separate in-process reader capped at 1 MiB; they do not invoke a native format parser.
Can I connect to a server or network share?
Yes. Enter an smb:// or sftp:// URI in the location field. Strata uses GIO/GVfs and prompts for authentication when needed. FTP, FTPS, and WebDAV are supported with the corresponding installed backends. SCP-style user@host:path addresses are not supported in the current source; use an sftp:// URI for SSH-based browsing.
Which languages does Strata speak?
Eleven: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Vietnamese, Italian, Russian, and Simplified Chinese. Pick one in Settings or follow the system locale. Keyboard shortcuts are layout-aware too: a key pressed on a Cyrillic or other non-Latin layout resolves to its QWERTY position, so the same bindings work everywhere.
Is it really free and open source?
Completely. Strata is free software under GPL-3.0-or-later. There is no paid tier and no feature gate. Browse the code, report an issue, contribute a theme, or help shape what comes next on GitHub.