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Nemo (file manager)
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| Nemo file manager | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot of Nemo v6.0.2 | |
| Developer | Linux Mint |
| Initial release | September 2012 |
| Stable release | 6.4.5[1] 
/ 24 February 2025 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Platform | Cinnamon |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Type | File manager |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Website | github |
x-gvfs-show for the gvfs-udisks2-volume-monitor process.[2] Screenshot of GNOME Disks.Nemo is a free and open-source software and official file manager of the Cinnamon desktop environment. It is a fork of GNOME Files (formerly named Nautilus).
History
[edit]Nemo version 1.0.0 was released in July 2012 along with version 1.6 of Cinnamon,[3][better source needed] reaching version 1.1.2 in November 2012.[4] It started as a fork of the GNOME file manager Nautilus v3.4[5][6][7][better source needed] after the developers of the operating system Linux Mint considered that "Nautilus 3.6 is a catastrophe".[8][9][10] Developer Gwendal Le Bihan named the project "nemo" after Jules Verne's famous character Captain Nemo, who is the captain of the Nautilus.[10]
Features
[edit]Nemo v1.0.0 had the following features as described by the developers:[10]
- Uses GVfs and GIO
- All the features Nautilus 3.4 had and which are missing in Nautilus 3.6 (all desktop icons, compact view, etc.)
- Open in terminal (integral part of Nemo)
- Open as root (integral part of Nemo)
- File operations progress information (when copying or moving files, one can see the percentage and information about the operation on the window title and so also in the window list)
- Proper GTK bookmarks management
- Full navigation options (back, forward, up, refresh)
- Ability to toggle between the path entry and the path breadcrumb widgets
- Many more configuration options
- Ability to SSH into remote servers
- Native support for FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and MTP (Media Transfer Protocol)
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Release 6.4.5". 24 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "udisks2/what-is-shown.txt". 5 December 2012..
- ^ NEMO: THE LINUX MINT TEAM FORKS NAUTILUS, Web UPD8, Aug 2012
- ^ "Cinnamon 1.6.7, Nemo 1.1.2". November 14, 2012.
- ^ Linux Mint developers work on GNOME file manager fork, Zdnet, Aug 2012
- ^ NEMO FILE MANAGER FOR UBUNTU OR LINUX MINT VIA PPA, Technology Linux & Windows, Dec 2012
- ^ Linux Mint Team Forks Nautilus, Brings Out Nemo, Muktware, 2012
- ^ Linux Mint Explain Nautilus Fork, Call New Version a "Catastrophe", OMG Ubuntu, Sep 2012
- ^ "Linux Mint founder calls Nautilus 3.6 'a catastrophe'". The H. 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12.
- ^ a b c "Introducing Nemo". September 4, 2012. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013.
External links
[edit]- Introducing Nemo Archived 2012-09-05 at the Wayback Machine (2012)
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Nemo (file manager)
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History and Development
Origins and Forking
Nemo was forked from Nautilus version 3.4 by the Linux Mint development team in 2012, specifically to address perceived regressions in the upstream GNOME project.[1][5] The fork was led by developer Gwendal Le Bihan, who named the project "Nemo" after the character Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's novels, drawing a symbolic parallel to the Nautilus submarine and emphasizing exploration in file management.[1] This initiative emerged as part of Linux Mint's broader customization of GNOME components to support the newly developed Cinnamon desktop environment.[5] The primary motivation for the fork stemmed from strong dissatisfaction with the Nautilus 3.6 redesign, which Linux Mint founder Clement Lefebvre publicly described as a "catastrophe."[6] This version eliminated key traditional features, including support for desktop icons and spatial views, in favor of a streamlined, browser-like single-pane interface that the team viewed as a step backward in usability.[6] By basing Nemo on the more stable Nautilus 3.4, the developers aimed to preserve a familiar graphical user interface paradigm that aligned with user expectations for file management in a desktop context.[5][6] Initial development focused on maintaining compatibility with Cinnamon while restoring and safeguarding the removed functionalities from Nautilus 3.4, ensuring Nemo could serve as a reliable default file manager without adopting the controversial changes in subsequent GNOME releases.[1] This approach reflected Linux Mint's philosophy of prioritizing practical, traditional desktop experiences over experimental redesigns.[5]Release History and Maintenance
Nemo's first stable release, version 1.0.0, occurred in July 2012, coinciding with the launch of Cinnamon 1.6.[1] This initial version established Nemo as the default file manager for the Cinnamon desktop environment, building directly from its fork of Nautilus 3.4. Subsequent minor updates, such as 1.1.2 in November 2012, refined early integration and stability.[1] The project has progressed through several major version series, evolving from the 1.x releases focused on foundational Cinnamon compatibility to the mature 6.x series. For instance, the 2.x series (starting around 2013) introduced improvements in performance and multi-monitor support, while the 3.x series (2014–2015) enhanced user interface responsiveness and added better search capabilities. The 4.x updates (2016–2017) addressed integrations with newer GTK versions, and 5.x (2018–2021) focused on broader system compatibility and security enhancements. The current 6.x series, as of November 2025, emphasizes refined file handling and visual consistency, with version 6.4.5 serving as the latest stable release on February 24, 2025.[7][8] Development occurs primarily through the GitHub repository at linuxmint/nemo, where the Linux Mint team coordinates open-source contributions.[1] Efforts concentrate on bug fixes, such as resolving memory leaks in file operations and optimizing thumbnail generation for visible items only, alongside performance enhancements like faster directory loading.[9] Compatibility updates ensure seamless operation with evolving GTK libraries, including transitions to newer versions without disrupting user workflows.[1] Maintenance is led by the Linux Mint development team, prioritizing backward compatibility to preserve user configurations and minimize disruptions seen in upstream GNOME Files (Nautilus) changes.[1] This approach involves conservative update cycles, with releases timed to align with Linux Mint distribution milestones, fostering long-term stability over frequent overhauls.[10]Features
Core File Management Functions
Nemo provides essential file management operations inherited from its Nautilus 3.4 codebase, enabling users to perform standard tasks on files and directories across local and remote locations.[1] Basic operations include creating new files and folders via right-click context menus or keyboard shortcuts, deleting items with permanent removal or trash integration, renaming through inline editing or dialog prompts, copying and moving files with drag-and-drop or menu selections, and archiving via compression tools like File Roller for formats such as ZIP and TAR. During copy, move, or delete actions on multiple items, Nemo displays progress indicators in the window title bar, showing percentage completion and estimated time remaining to inform users of ongoing operations.[1][11][12] Search functionality in Nemo supports filename queries across local and remote filesystems, with options for recursive scanning and filtering by date, size, or type; integration with the Tracker search engine enables full-text content indexing and metadata searches when the tracker-miner-fs package is installed, allowing rapid retrieval of text within documents or tags on media files. Recent updates have added regular expression support for advanced filename pattern matching, enhancing precision in large directories.[13][14] Nemo natively handles local filesystems and leverages GVfs (GNOME Virtual File System) for virtual backends, including the Trash for recoverable deletions, Recent Files for quick access to modified items, and network shares via protocols like SMB, FTP, SFTP, and WebDAV; this abstraction layer ensures seamless operations on remote resources as if they were local.[13][1] File properties can be viewed and edited through the right-click "Properties" dialog, displaying details such as permissions, ownership, sizes, modification dates, and MIME types for individual or selected multiple files; batch modifications are supported for permissions and basic attributes, with advanced metadata editing available for media via integrated tools.[11][15]User Interface and Navigation
Nemo provides multiple view modes to accommodate different user preferences for browsing files and directories. These include icon view, which displays files as large, resizable thumbnails ideal for visual media like images and videos; compact view, offering a space-efficient layout with smaller icons and basic metadata; list view, presenting files in a columnar format for quick scanning; and detailed view, which extends the list by including additional columns such as file size, modification date, and permissions. Thumbnails in icon and compact views are generated automatically for supported media formats, with users able to adjust thumbnail size via zoom controls or preferences to optimize previews without opening files.[1][13][16] Navigation in Nemo is facilitated by intuitive tools that enhance efficiency during file exploration. Dual-pane mode, activated via the F3 keyboard shortcut or menu option, splits the window into two side-by-side panels for simultaneous viewing and manipulation of directories, useful for comparisons or transfers. Users can toggle between a traditional path entry field and a breadcrumb path bar, which displays the current location as clickable segments for rapid upward navigation. Additionally, GTK-based bookmarks allow quick access to frequently used folders, managed through the sidebar or dedicated menu, integrating seamlessly with the desktop environment's bookmark system. Standard navigation buttons for back, forward, up, and refresh further support fluid movement through the file hierarchy.[1][13][17] As the default handler for the Cinnamon desktop, Nemo integrates deeply with the workspace for managing icons and backgrounds. It supports placing and organizing desktop icons, including automatic arrangement and right-click context menus for file operations directly on the desktop surface, features retained from its Nautilus 3.4 origins to maintain traditional desktop functionality. Background images and wallpapers can be set via Nemo's file selection dialog, ensuring consistent interaction between the file manager and the desktop shell.[1][13] Accessibility in Nemo leverages the underlying GTK toolkit to support users with diverse needs. Keyboard shortcuts enable full navigation without a mouse, such as arrow keys for item selection, Enter to open files, and customizable accelerators stored in~/.config/gtk-3.0/accels/nemo for actions like new window (Ctrl+N) or properties (Alt+Enter). High-contrast themes are available through Cinnamon's system-wide accessibility settings, applying bold outlines and inverted colors to Nemo's interface for better visibility. Screen reader compatibility is provided via integration with Orca, the GNOME screen reader, which announces file names, selections, and menu items as users navigate.[1][13][18]
Extensions and Integrations
Nemo supports an extension framework that allows for the addition of plugins and scripts compatible with those from its parent project, Nautilus, enabling users to enhance functionality without modifying the core application. The official nemo-extensions package, maintained by the Linux Mint team, provides a collection of pre-built extensions including nemo-terminal for embedding a terminal within the file manager, nemo-fileroller for archive creation and extraction directly from the context menu, and nemo-compare for file comparison using tools like Meld.[19][13] These extensions are typically installed via package managers and can be enabled or disabled through Nemo's preferences dialog under the Extensions tab, allowing seamless integration of features such as quick file previews with nemo-preview or PGP encryption support via nemo-seahorse.[13] Since Cinnamon 6.0 (Linux Mint 21.3), Nemo incorporates support for Spices Actions, a system for community-developed plugins that extend its capabilities, including custom tools and interface enhancements downloadable via the Cinnamon Spices website.[1][20] In addition to compiled extensions, Nemo utilizes Nemo Actions, a scripting system for custom context menu entries, which supports shell scripts and executables to perform tasks like "Open in Terminal" or "Open as Root" using tools such as gksu or pkexec for elevated privileges. Since Linux Mint 22 (July 2024), a graphical Layout Editor allows users to organize these actions with separators, submenus, overridden labels, and icons for better management.[21][13] Action files, with a .nemo_action extension, are placed in system-wide directories like /usr/share/nemo/actions/ or user-specific locations such as ~/.local/share/nemo/actions/, where they define conditions, labels, and commands for context-sensitive operations on files and folders. This framework promotes extensibility by permitting community-contributed scripts for specialized workflows, such as sending files via KDE Connect or repairing filenames with nemo-filename-repairer.[19][13] Nemo handles remote protocol access through integration with GVfs (GNOME Virtual File System), supporting connections to SSH (via sftp://), FTP, WebDAV, and MTP-enabled devices like Android phones, with built-in prompts for authentication credentials to ensure secure mounting.[13] This allows users to browse and manage remote filesystems as if they were local, leveraging GVfs backends for protocols including SMB/CIFS for Windows shares and NFS for network-attached storage, without requiring manual mounting commands. For mobile devices, MTP support facilitates photo transfers and file access, often prompting for device authorization upon connection.[13] Third-party integrations extend Nemo's capabilities through GVfs for virtual filesystems, enabling access to diverse storage backends like cloud services (e.g., Nextcloud via WebDAV) and optical media, while file type associations link to external applications based on MIME types configured system-wide.[13] Compatibility with tools such as RabbitVCS provides version control operations directly in the file manager via dedicated extensions.[13] Customization options in Nemo include reconfigurable toolbars and sidebars, where users can add or remove icons via the preferences menu or by dragging elements, and remap keyboard shortcuts by editing the nemo-accelerators file in ~/.config/nemo/accels/, such as assigning custom keys for actions like toggling the sidebar with F9.[13] Theme support is handled through the Cinnamon desktop environment's settings, allowing application of GTK-based themes to Nemo's interface for consistent visual styling across the desktop.[13]Adoption and Compatibility
Role in Cinnamon Desktop
Nemo serves as the default file manager in the Cinnamon desktop environment, pre-installed and configured as the primary handler for file operations in Linux Mint editions that utilize Cinnamon.[1][13] This integration ensures that Nemo handles all standard file browsing tasks seamlessly within the Cinnamon ecosystem, starting its process upon file access and maintaining it for ongoing window operations.[22] Nemo achieves automatic synchronization with Cinnamon themes through its reliance on GTK theming, allowing users to apply desktop-wide visual changes without manual reconfiguration. Cinnamon applets, such as the Places Center, enhance quick file access directly from the panel by providing bookmarks and navigation options compatible with Nemo, while Nemo's own Spices Actions—introduced in Cinnamon 6.0—enable further customization of context menus and behaviors tailored to the desktop's workflow. Additionally, Nemo integrates with the Cinnamon menu for effortless file launching and organization. The file manager's tight coupling with Cinnamon's components streamlines user workflows, including its use as the default file chooser in dialogs across Cinnamon applications, which supports consistent icon views and navigation. This setup facilitates drag-and-drop operations across applications and the desktop, leveraging Cinnamon's metaphor for intuitive file handling without disrupting session continuity. As a fork developed alongside Cinnamon, Nemo benefits from aligned evolution to support these ecosystem-specific interactions.[1] Performance optimizations in Nemo align with Cinnamon's resource management strategies, utilizing GVfs and GIO for efficient virtual file system access and real-time operation progress indicators, such as percentage displays in window titles. These features ensure smooth performance on mid-range hardware by minimizing overhead during file transfers and directory scanning, with configurable options like disabling thumbnails to further reduce resource usage.[1][11]Availability Across Distributions
Nemo is packaged in the official repositories of major Linux distributions, facilitating easy installation via standard package managers. For Debian and its derivatives like Ubuntu, it is available in the universe repository, installable with the commandsudo apt install nemo. On Fedora, users can install it using sudo dnf install nemo, as it is included in the default repositories. Arch Linux provides Nemo in its extra repository, accessible via sudo pacman -S nemo.[23] Gentoo users can emerge it from the GNOME extra overlay with emerge --ask gnome-extra/nemo.[24] Additionally, Nemo supports installation through universal formats like Flatpak on compatible systems, such as via Flathub, or by compiling from source using the official GitHub repository, which requires dependencies including GTK3 and various GNOME libraries.[1] These methods ensure broad accessibility, though some distributions may require enabling additional repositories or handling optional Cinnamon-specific dependencies for full feature support.
Community efforts extend Nemo's use to non-Cinnamon desktop environments, such as MATE and XFCE, through unofficial configurations that preserve essential file browsing, previewing, and application launching capabilities. In these setups, users typically install the standard Nemo package and configure it as the default file manager via desktop settings or MIME type associations, such as using xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory on compatible systems.[25][26] However, integration with desktop icons or theming may be limited without Cinnamon components, relying instead on the underlying GNOME libraries for core operations.[27]
Nemo's licensing under the GPL-2.0-or-later promotes its portability and free redistribution across distributions, allowing modifications and builds tailored to different environments. Its foundation on standard GNOME technologies, including GTK3, ensures compatibility with diverse Linux setups, minimizing conflicts while enabling seamless operation alongside other file managers.[1] This open licensing model, combined with active maintenance by the Linux Mint team, supports ongoing community adaptations without restricting deployment.[1]