noice-rs

A suckless-aligned file browser written in Rust. Minimal dependencies, compile-time configuration, and simple implementation following the suckless philosophy.

Features

• Minimal Dependencies: Only uses libc for terminal control
• Compile-Time Configuration: Edit config.rs and recompile to customize
• Fast & Lightweight: ~1300 lines of code, instant startup
• Platform Support: Native file watching on Linux (inotify) and macOS (kqueue)
• Vi-style Keybindings: Navigate with h/j/k/l or arrow keys
• Two-Key Combos: Support for gg, DD, nf, nd, g<key>, '<key>
• File Operations: Copy, move, delete, rename files and directories
• File Creation: Create files and directories with nested path support
• Marking System: Mark multiple files for bulk operations
• Filtering: Filter directory contents with / (search)
• Multiple Sorting: Sort by name, size, time, or version number
• Directory Jumps: Quick navigation with customizable shortcuts
• External Programs: Edit files, play media, run commands via environment variables
• File Size Display: Toggle human-readable file size display
• Session History: Remember last directory for quick switching
• Full Feature Parity: All original noice functionality implemented

Building

# Clone the repository
git clone <repository>
cd noice-rs

# Build (config is generated automatically from src/config.def.rs)
cargo build --release

# The binary will be at target/release/noice

Installation

Method 1: Using the Installation Script (Recommended)

The easiest way to install noice-rs is using the provided installation script:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dab/noice-rs.git
cd noice-rs

# Run the interactive installer
./install.sh

# Or specify installation location directly:
./install.sh --user    # Install to ~/.local/bin
./install.sh --system  # Install to /usr/local/bin (requires sudo)

Method 2: Using cargo install (For Rust Developers)

If you have Rust installed, you can install directly from crates.io:

cargo install noice-rs

This will install the noice binary to your ~/.cargo/bin directory.

Method 3: Pre-compiled Binaries

Download pre-compiled binaries from the GitHub Releases page:

1. Download the appropriate binary for your platform
2. Extract and place in your PATH
3. Make executable: chmod +x noice

Method 4: Manual Build and Install

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dab/noice-rs.git
cd noice-rs

# Build in release mode (config generated automatically)
cargo build --release

# Install to system directory
sudo cp target/release/noice /usr/local/bin/noice

# Or install to user directory
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
cp target/release/noice ~/.local/bin/noice

Package Managers

Homebrew (macOS):

# Coming soon
brew install noice-rs

Arch Linux (AUR):

# Coming soon
yay -S noice-rs

Note: Make sure your installation directory is in your PATH. If using ~/.local/bin, add export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH" to your shell configuration file (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.).

Usage

# Open current directory
noice

# Open specific directory
noice /path/to/directory

# Open home directory
noice ~

Default Keybindings

Navigation

• j / ↓ - Move down
• k / ↑ - Move up
• l / → / Enter - Enter directory / open file
• h / ← / Backspace - Go to parent directory
• gg / Home - Go to first item
• G / End - Go to last item
• Ctrl-U - Half page up
• Ctrl-D - Half page down

File Operations

• Space - Mark/unmark file
• u - Un-yank (clear yanked list)
• y - Yank (copy) marked files or current file
• m - Mark files for moving
• p - Paste yanked files
• DD - Delete marked files or current file (double-D for safety)
• r - Rename current file
• nf - Create new file
• nd - Create new directory
• L - Create symbolic links

View Options

• . / Ctrl-H - Toggle hidden files
• d - Toggle directories first
• / - Filter files (search)
• s - Sort by name
• S - Toggle file size display
• t - Sort by modification time
• v - Toggle version number sorting
• Ctrl-L / R - Force redraw/reload

Directory Operations

• c - Change directory (interactive)
• g<key> / '<key> - Jump to directory by key:
  • gr / 'r - Go to root (/)
  • ge / 'e - Go to /etc
  • gb / 'b - Go to /bin
  • gu / 'u - Go to /usr
  • gm / 'm - Go to /media
  • g. / '. - Go to ~/.config
• '' - Jump to last directory (toggle)

External Programs

• e - Edit current file with $EDITOR
• M - Open with media player ($NOICEMP)
• ! - Open shell in current directory ($SHELL)
• z - Run system monitor ($NOICETOP)
• ? - Show manual page ($NOICEMAN)

Other

• q / ESC - Quit

Configuration

Configuration is compile-time based. To customize:

1. Find your build directory: After building, config is generated in $OUT_DIR/config.rs
2. Customize config: Edit the generated config file to customize:
   • Keybindings: Map keys to actions, including two-key combos
   • File Associations: Define which programs open which file types
   • Directory Jumps: Set up quick navigation shortcuts for g<key> and '<key>
   • Colors: ANSI color codes for different file types
   • Display Options: Show/hide hidden files, directories first, file sizes, etc.
   • Sorting: Default sort modes (name, size, time, version)
   • External Programs: Default commands for editor, media player, etc.
3. Rebuild: Run cargo build --release to apply changes

Alternatively, modify src/config.def.rs directly for permanent changes.

Environment Variables

The following environment variables can override defaults:

• EDITOR - Text editor for e command (default: vi)
• SHELL - Shell for ! command (default: sh)
• NOICEMP - Media player for M command (default: "mpv --shuffle")
• NOICETOP - System monitor for z command (default: top)
• NOICEMAN - Manual command for ? (default: "man noice")

Philosophy

This project follows the suckless philosophy:

• Simplicity: Code is simple and easy to understand
• Minimal Dependencies: Only libc for terminal control
• Compile-Time Configuration: No runtime config files
• User as Developer: Users are expected to edit source and recompile
• No Bloat: Only essential features, no plugins or extensions

Performance

• Binary Size: ~380KB (unstripped release build)
• Memory Usage: < 5MB for typical directories
• Startup Time: < 10ms
• Lines of Code: ~1700 lines total (~1400 in core implementation)

Platform Support

• Linux: Full support with inotify for file watching
• macOS: Full support with kqueue for file watching
• BSD: Should work (untested)
• Other Unix: Basic support without file watching

License

This project follows the suckless philosophy of simplicity and hackability. Use and modify as you see fit.