Midnight Commander (mc) — A Console File Manager That Never Really Went Away
Midnight Commander — usually just called mc — has been a constant presence on Linux and UNIX systems for decades. It’s a text-based, dual-pane file manager that runs inside a terminal, which means it works the same whether you’re sitting at the machine or SSH’d into it from halfway across the world.
It borrows the muscle memory from old Norton Commander layouts — function keys along the bottom, panels for source and destination, and instant keyboard shortcuts for file operations. The interface might look dated, but that’s the point: it’s predictable, fast, and survives in environments where a graphical desktop isn’t even an option.
Day-to-day use
When you start mc, two directory panels open. Moving between them is just Tab; F5 copies, F6 moves, F8 deletes. You can open archives like normal folders, connect to remote servers via FTP/SFTP, and view or edit files using its built-in text editor. The search tool is handy for finding files deep in directory trees without dropping to a shell.
Because it’s all text-based, it stays responsive over slow links and doesn’t choke on minimal resources — perfect for low-end VMs or recovery shells.
Quick reference
| Feature | Detail |
| Platforms | Linux, BSD, macOS (via ports), Windows (via Cygwin) |
| Interface | Dual-pane, text-based |
| Protocols | FTP, SFTP, SMB (via GVFS) |
| Archive support | ZIP, tar, gzip, bzip2, etc. |
| Built-in tools | Text viewer/editor, search, batch rename |
| License | GPL (open source) |
Why admins keep it installed
– Works over SSH without any GUI.
– Built-in editor avoids context-switching.
– Handles local and remote files in one session.
– Almost no learning curve if you’ve used Norton Commander–style tools.
Real-world examples
– An admin repairing a remote Linux box from rescue mode uses mc to copy config files from backups.
– A developer on a headless build server browses logs and unpacks archives without touching a desktop.