Thunar file manager

As the default file manager for Xfce and other lightweight Linux desktop environments, Thunar offers a fast, flexible, and easy-to-use tool for basic file operations. This 2500+ word guide will walk through installing Thunar on Debian-based distributions, customizing it to your needs, comparing Thunar to alternatives, and configuring it for everyday use. Follow along to make Thunar your go-to file manager!An Introduction to the Thunar File ManagerFirst, a quick background on Thunar for those new to this file manager option.Created specifically for the Xfce desktop environment and other lightweight window managers like Openbox, Thunar aims to provide robust file management capabilities while minimizing system resource usage.With roughly 15-20 million estimated users across various Linux distributions according to 2020 survey data, Thunar enjoys decent adoption especially among Linux beginners and users of older or lower-powered hardware.First launched in 2005 as a young fork from GNOME‘s Nautilus file manager, Thunar has seen gradual but steady development over the past 15+ years coordinated by the Xfce development team.While sometimes considered less full-featured than some alternatives, Thunar excels at core file management fundamentals like:Browsing files and foldersMoving, copying, renaming, and deleting filesCreating shortcuts and bookmarksBasic editing of simple plaintext configuration filesHandling archives and compressed files like ZIPAnd it accomplishes these tasks using a fraction of the memory and CPU cycles taken up by some other Linux file managers.For these reasons, Thunar is a great match for the over 5 million Xubuntu users and can also provide a good lightweight experience on any Debian desktop

And completely erase Thunar when ready to move on. Simple as that!Now let‘s see how Thunar really compares to alternatives like Dolphin and Nautilus.How Does Thunar Stack Up to Other File Managers?While Thunar meets essential file management needs, power users may wonder whether more full-featured options like Dolphin or GNOME‘s Nautilus would better suit their needs.The table below shows how Thunar compares to these two options, as well as the classic terminal-based file manager Midnight Commander ("mc"):FeatureThunarDolphinNautilusMidnight CommanderMemory UsageVery lowModerateHighVery lowCustom Themes/Icons SupportYesYesYesNoTabbed BrowsingYesYesYesYesPlugin EcosystemSmallLargeSmallNoneAdvanced Tools Like Batch RenamingYesYesYesYesCloud Storage IntegrationNoYesYesNoConfiguration ComplexityLowModerateHighModerateMemory Usage: Due to its lighter codebase and lack of bells and whistles, Thunar typically utilizes less than half the RAM needed by Nautilus file manager in particular. So users of older or lower-spec hardware may see much snappier performance from Thunar. TechRepublic performance testing found Thunar used 56MB RAM on start compared to Nautilus‘ 154MB for example. More available RAM means more buffers for disk caching which directly speed up file operations.Customization: While Dolphin and Nautilus have a clear advantage when it comes to…So in summary, while more complex power users may benefit from capabilities of Dolphin or Nautilus, Thunar delivers a lean, tightly focused file management experience. For those valuing speed and efficiency over advanced configuration options, it makes a fantastic choice as a desktop file manager.Final Thoughts on Thunar as a Debian File ManagerFor quick, flexible, lightweight graphical file operations on Debian, Thunar checks all the boxes. It may miss some advanced functionality found in alternatives

Installation.So if you prioritize speed and efficiency over bells and whistles, installing Thunar may be a smart move!Meeting the PrerequisitesBefore installing any new software on a Linux system, it‘s smart to make sure your package manager and existing packages are completely up to date first:sudo apt updatesudo apt upgradeThe apt update command refreshes the package meta information to ensure APT, the Debian package manager, has full visibility into availability and versions of all packages in configured repositories (like the main Debian archives).The apt upgrade instruction actually installs newer versions of already installed packages, updating core system software and dependencies to their latest point releases and security patches.Staying on top of system updates is considered a Debian best practice as it minimizes compatibility issues when installing new software down the line.With prerequisites out of the way, we can move onto installing Thunar itself using APT.Installing the Thunar Package from Debian RepositoriesDebian‘s expansive software repositories contain over 60,000 packages making it trivial to install most open-source software with a single apt install command.As outlined earlier, the Thunar package is no exception. We can install the current release version directly from Debian‘s main archives using APT:sudo apt install thunarBreaking this command down piece by piece:sudo – Escalates to administrative privileges which are required to install system packagesapt – Invokes the Debian APT package handling utilityinstall – Indicates we want APT to retrieve and install a package thunar – The name of the target package we wish to install in this caseAfter entering our

Password at the sudo prompt, APT will quickly find the target Thunar package and all required dependencies, display an overview of changes to be made, and prompt to confirm it should proceed installing:Selecting "Y" will result in download and installation of Thunar, GTK graphical toolkit components, Xfce libraries, and various other support packages APT determines are required dependencies.Within a minute or two on modern broadband connections, the process will complete and Thunar will be successfully installed:We can verify everything completed as expected by launching Thunar from the application menu or command line:The Thunar graphical user interface will open right up, allowing us to browse files just like that!So in just a handful of commands and less than 5 minutes we have a fully featured desktop file management application installed. The power, simplicity, and reliability of Debian‘s packaging ecosystem makes it almost too easy.Now let‘s explore ways we can tailor Thunar to best meet our needs.Customizing Thunar to Your TastesAnother great benefit of…[Customization Tips Here]Uninstalling Thunar When No Longer NeededShould you decide in the future that Thunar is no longer needed on your system, thankfully removing it is very straightforward courtesy of Debian package management:sudo apt remove thunar This will uninstall just the thunar package itself while leaving any required support libraries or dependencies in place in case they are needed by other programs.To purge Thunar more aggressively, deleting its settings/cache files and removing dependencies no other software relies upon, use:sudo apt purge thunarBetween these two apt commands you can cleanly