# broot — A Better Way to Navigate Directories

> broot gives you a tree view of your filesystem with fuzzy search, built-in file operations, git status, and previews — all in the terminal. It replaces the clunky `tree | less` workflow with an interactive alternative.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# broot — Interactive Directory Browser

## Quick Use
```bash
# macOS
brew install broot
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install broot
# Cargo
cargo install broot --locked

# First run sets up the shell function so `br` can cd
br --install
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc / ~/.config/fish/config.fish

# Launch
br              # cd-aware wrapper
broot           # direct binary
```

## Introduction
broot is an interactive file tree: it shows a bounded subset of your directory (so a huge repo doesn't hang the terminal), lets you fuzzy-filter, navigate, perform file operations (rm, mv, cp), open files, check disk usage, and respect `.gitignore`. The `br` shell wrapper also lets you `cd` into any directory you highlight by pressing Enter.

With over 12,500 GitHub stars, broot is a favorite for developers who live in the terminal. It's the closest TUI approximation of a modern file explorer (like VS Code's sidebar) while staying fully keyboard-driven.

## What broot Does
broot walks your filesystem lazily, intelligently truncating large directories to fit the screen. Type a pattern and broot fuzzy-filters the tree. Press Enter to cd (via `br`) or open. Verbs (`:rm`, `:mv`, `:cp`, `:git_status`, `:preview`, ...) let you act on files without leaving broot. Customization via a TOML config lets you bind your own shortcuts.

## Architecture Overview
```
[broot TUI (crossterm + tui-rs)]
    |
[Walker + truncation]
   shows visible subset of tree
   respects .gitignore by default
    |
[Fuzzy filter]
   as you type, prune to matches
    |
[Verb system]
   :rm, :mv, :cp, :open, :cd, :git_status,
   :preview, :total_size, :sort_by_date, ...
    |
[Preview panel]
   syntax-highlighted file preview
   image preview via kitty graphics
    |
[Shell wrapper `br`]
   enables cd on Enter from inside broot
```

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
```toml
# ~/.config/broot/conf.hjson (or conf.toml)
[[verbs]]
name = "edit"
invocation = "edit"
key = "F4"
shortcut = "e"
execution = "$EDITOR {file}"
leave_broot = false

[[verbs]]
name = "git log"
invocation = "glog"
execution = "tig --all -- {file}"
leave_broot = false

[[verbs]]
name = "open in finder"
invocation = "finder"
execution = "open {directory}"
leave_broot = true
```

```bash
# Useful bundled verbs
# Inside broot, type `:verb_name` or its shortcut
# :git_status      Show git status for visible files
# :preview         Toggle preview pane
# :total_size      Compute real disk usage (du-style)
# :sort_by_date    Sort by mtime instead of name
# :filter          Advanced file filter (type, size)
# :rm              Delete (with confirmation)
# :mv new_path     Rename/move
# :cp new_path     Copy
```

## Key Features
- **Bounded tree view** — huge directories don't flood your terminal
- **Fuzzy search** — incremental pattern filtering across the tree
- **Preview pane** — syntax-highlighted file previews, image preview via kitty
- **Git-aware** — show changes, respect .gitignore
- **Verb system** — compose file operations without leaving the UI
- **`br` wrapper** — Enter cd's into highlighted directory
- **Disk usage view** — sort by total size (du-like, fast)
- **Configurable keybinds + custom verbs** — integrate your editor, Git TUI, etc.

## Comparison with Similar Tools
| Feature | broot | lf | nnn | yazi | ranger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Rust | Go | C | Rust | Python |
| View style | Tree (collapsible) | Miller columns | Miller | Miller (Yazi) | Miller |
| Preview | Built-in + image | External | Plugin | Built-in | Plugin |
| Startup speed | Very fast | Very fast | Fastest | Very fast | Slower |
| cd on exit | Yes (br) | Yes (lfcd) | Yes (nnncd) | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | Tree-style exploration | Classic TUI FM | Minimal + fast | Modern Rust FM | Customization |

## FAQ
**Q: broot vs yazi?**
A: Different paradigms. broot shows a tree (great for "where is this file?"); yazi uses Miller columns (great for cd-heavy workflows). Many devs install both.

**Q: Do I need to learn many verbs?**
A: No — the default ones cover 95% of use. Start with `:rm`, `:mv`, `:cp`, `:preview`, `:git_status`. Type `?` inside broot for the help screen of all verbs.

**Q: Image previews?**
A: If your terminal supports the kitty graphics protocol (kitty, WezTerm, Ghostty), broot shows images inline. Otherwise it falls back to a file-type icon.

**Q: How do I add a key to edit in Neovim?**
A: Add a verb with `execution = "nvim {file}"`, a key like `F4`, and `leave_broot = false` to return to broot after closing.

## Sources
- GitHub: https://github.com/Canop/broot
- Website: https://dystroy.org/broot
- License: MIT

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/8eeab944-3814-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot