The keybinds you can set up in e.g Ranger for navigating or moving files are incredibly fast and easy. Sure you could just use shell commands/aliases etc. but the visual representation of the file system that a TUI provides, I find really useful.
As someone who uses nnn (occasionally lf) all the time, terminal file managers make navigation (especially bookmarking) easier.
Think Nemo’s my default file manager but with GUI file managers I find it hard to switch contexts. I always used to have two splits open with Nemo but if I need to open a new context I’d have to open another instance of Nemo and then I gotta switch between the instances now.
Now, nnn gives me 4 contexts, which can be easily switched between using 1-4. I’ve added zoxide within nnn to pretty much jump to any directory within my system. This isn’t really possible with a GUI file manager. Guess you can add integration to other tools as well to the list of pros of a terminal file manager.
File preview needs a mention as well. It’s easier when you can quickly glance a file and move on instead of opening it.
I use it more or less to browse my multimedia files. Ranger knows if it’s a pdf or a mkv file, so I don’t have to do anything but hit enter. When watching a series, I hit Q in mpv, down arrow and enter to play the next episode instead of writing mpv tab tab enter. It’s also got pretty nice tools for mass renaming, deletion, and probably a lot more that I didn’t bother learning. But if I want to get a specific file, say a config file, then I just open it normally with an editor from the terminal instead of going from /home to / to /etc
I learned Norton Commander way back in the 90s, then moved to Midnight Commander, and it’s still a key part of my toolset. Using the keyboard in a hybrid shell / tree view mode is still the single most efficient way I’ve found to manage files. Need to find files under a subdirectory? Press F7. Need to move an entire directory somewhere else? cd to it, then press F6. Want to move all the pdf files under a subdirectory somewhere? Use the find dialog, then move the search results. No mouse/trackpad needed, everything is at your fingertips.
For me, it’s about using the right tool for the job. Sometimes, using full GUI file manager is overkill, especially for copying just one file, and you know exactly where you want to copy it from and to.
And a TUI file manager like mc, ranger, nnn are a good in between level of ui, and is great for browsing files distraction free from the visual clutter of a full GUI file manager. That may seem like not a big deal, but I think it’s nice to be able to see things simply and straight to the point. For me, it just feels nice and less frustrating.
What I like about Linux is choice. And in this case, choice in file management. Pick the right tool, and you’ll get things done more efficiently, and with less annoyance.
Anecdata: I had been “running shell commands” happily enough for 15 years. And then I tried Ranger. It was immediately clear that everything is faster, sometimes much faster. This supposes that you are familiar with basic Vi key bindings. It’s not about “features”, it’s much simpler than that, it’s about keystrokes.
The more time I spend on development at work and at home, the more I truly despise constantly switching from mouse to keyboard and back. I’m no power user, but I may well check this out.
People who can use them effectively tend to be a way faster with the regular admin work. Also, they can do some things which are not that simple on the command line (browse through tarball, browse through remote directories).
I like them better than repetitive or complicated CLI commands, but I just never remember to install or use them when I’m doing a bunch of stuff on a server.
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