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https://github.com/robkam/ytreenova

YtreeNova - a (curses-based) file manager similar to DOS XTree™
https://github.com/robkam/ytreenova

c codex console console-application curses file-explorer file-manager foss terminal terminal-based tui unix xtree ytree

Last synced: 9 days ago
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YtreeNova - a (curses-based) file manager similar to DOS XTree™

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README 

          
# **YtreeNova: A File Manager for Unix-like Systems**



**YtreeNova** is a keyboard-first file manager for Linux and BSD with fast multi-volume logging and navigation.



> [!IMPORTANT]

> **STATUS: ALPHA (v1.0.0-alpha)**

> `ytnova` is in active alpha development. It is stable and usable, but expect rough edges, incomplete behaviour, and occasional regressions. Interfaces, key bindings, and configuration details may change before the first stable release.

>

> Before opening an issue or suggesting a feature, please check [BUGS.md](docs/BUGS.md) and [ROADMAP.md](docs/ROADMAP.md) first, so as not to create a duplicate if it is already listed.





  YtreeNova F8 split screen: left panel browsing /home/rob/scripts.tar.gz, right panel showing the ~ tree with scripts inactive and its files in a small window.




YtreeNova logs filesystem hierarchies into memory, so you can work across whole volumes, not just one directory at a time. Use tree + file-list views, Showall/Global views, tagging, fast filtering, split-screen workflows, preview, and archive-as-directory operations (including in-archive copy/move/rename/delete/mkdir where supported).



## Background



YtreeNova is an independent fork of [Ytree](https://www.han.de/~werner/ytree.html) v2.10, created by Werner Bregulla and others. The fork began in October 2025 and now has its own name, release line, command (`ytnova`), and repository.



It remains in the [XTree™](https://www.xtreefanpage.org/lowres/x10dirja.htm)/Ytree family of full-tree logging and tagging file managers: scan a hierarchy first, then navigate, filter, tag, view, and operate across the logged set as a whole. The YtreeNova line focuses on feature completeness for Unix power users, adding split-screen work, integrated preview/autoview, archive-as-directory operations, and modernized internals.



Many file managers today function as "browsers"—they look at one directory at a time and rely on the OS to fetch files on demand. YtreeNova keeps the logger model: it scans ("logs") entire drive hierarchies into memory. This treats the filesystem as a database, allowing you to **Show All** files in a flat view, filter across thousands of subdirectories instantly, and perform bulk operations on tagged files regardless of their location.



## Development Methodology



This modernization is an experiment in AI-assisted systems engineering. The codebase was not simply "ported"; it was systematically disassembled and re-architected toward feature completeness and maintainability.



In practice, the human maintains design ownership and quality control, while AI is used as an implementation assistant. This requires substantial iteration, verification, and architectural guardrails for each meaningful change. The goal is to show that LLM-assisted development can still meet normal project standards when the process is disciplined, specification-driven, and strongly validated.



Quality claims are backed by repository-visible gates and documentation:

- [AUDIT.md](docs/AUDIT.md): required QA/audit loop and merge gates.

- [TRUST.md](docs/TRUST.md): safety posture, limits, and code-level evidence pointers.

- [PR_GATE.md](docs/PR_GATE.md): governance and merge-readiness checks.



## Why release alpha now?



v1.0.0-alpha is being published early so people can use the program, inspect the code, and evaluate the direction before beta. It is usable today, but still in active development: expect rough edges, occasional UX/workflow bugs, and ongoing refinement of some features.



## Features (v1.0.0-alpha)



*   **Classic XTree™ Interface:** Directory Tree + File List layout.

*   **Split Screen Mode (F8):** Manage two independent file panels side-by-side.

*   **File Preview (F7):** Instant view of file contents without launching external tools.

*   **Multi-Volume Support:** Log multiple drives or archives simultaneously and switch instantly.

*   **Archive Handling:** Read archives and, where supported, write/update archive contents via `libarchive`.

*   **Advanced Filtering:** Filter by RegEx, Attribute, Date, and Size.

*   **Configurable Color Themes:** Customize UI colors to match workflow preferences.

*   **Modern Architecture:** Clean C99, strict context-passing design — no global mutable state. See [ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md).

*   **Auto-Refresh:** Inotify integration for live directory updates.

*   **External Viewers:** Associate specific file extensions with external programs (images, PDFs, etc.).

*   **User Commands:** Bind keys to custom shell commands/scripts for infinite extensibility.



## Installation



### Prerequisites



*   **C Compiler** (GCC or Clang; Clang is required for fuzz targets)

*   **ncurses** (libncurses-dev / ncurses-devel)

*   **readline** (libreadline-dev / readline-devel)

*   **libarchive** (libarchive-dev / libarchive-devel)

*   **lcov** (for baseline coverage reports)

*   **llvm-symbolizer** (recommended for sanitizer/fuzz stack traces)



### Build from Source



```bash

# Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/robkam/ytreenova.git

cd ytreenova



# Compile (Optimized Release Build)

make



# Install

sudo make install



# Uninstall

sudo make uninstall

```



*Note: Developers can compile with AddressSanitizer enabled by running `make DEBUG=1`.*



## Documentation Guide



The project documentation is split into several focused files.



| Document | Purpose |

| :--- | :--- |

| **[USAGE.md](docs/USAGE.md)** | **User Guide**: How to navigate, tag, and use command keys. (Generated from `ytnova.1.md`). |

| **[BUGS.md](docs/BUGS.md)** | **Known Issues**: Current defects, reproductions, and fix status. |

| **[CONTRIBUTING.md](docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)** | **Developer Setup**: How to set up the environment, run tests, and submit code. |

| **[PR_GATE.md](docs/PR_GATE.md)** | **PR Governance**: Required PR gate checks and triage rules needed for merge readiness. |

| **[AUDIT.md](docs/AUDIT.md)** | **QA Workflow**: The mandatory safety/integrity checks for every PR (Valgrind, ASan, etc). |

| **[SPECIFICATION.md](docs/SPECIFICATION.md)** | **Behavioral Contract**: UI layout, navigation protocols, and design philosophy. |

| **[ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md)** | **System Design**: Core technical principles (DRY, SRP, Context-passing) and data hierarchy. |

| **[TRUST.md](docs/TRUST.md)** | **Trust & Safety**: Safety claims and where to verify them in the codebase. |

| **[ROADMAP.md](docs/ROADMAP.md)** | **Future Plans**: Pending milestones and prioritized delivery backlog. |

| **[CHANGES.md](docs/CHANGES.md)** | **Changelog**: Detailed history of YtreeNova feature delivery, architecture work, and updates. |



## Project Structure



```text

ytreenova/

├── src/                 C source files

├── include/             C headers

├── tests/               pytest/pexpect test suite

├── scripts/             helper scripts (build and tooling)

├── docs/                user, developer, and process documentation

├── etc/                 manpage source and related assets

├── build/               build artifacts

├── obj/                 object files

├── coverage/            coverage outputs

├── Makefile             primary build/test targets

├── README.md            project overview

└── AGENTS.md            Codex/agent discovery stub

```



---



## Reporting Issues



If you find anything amiss, you can report it using [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/robkam/ytreenova/issues).



For security-sensitive bugs, report privately via [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md).



Feature requests and enhancement ideas are welcome too. Suggestions are appreciated, but not every request can be implemented.



It will help us to address the issue if you include the following:

*   **OS & Configuration:** (Distro, Terminal type, etc.)

*   **YtreeNova version:**

*   **Steps to Reproduce:**

*   **Expected Behavior:**

*   **Actual Behavior:**



## Contributing



Contributions are welcome! Please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](docs/CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines. See [SPECIFICATION.md](docs/SPECIFICATION.md) for behavioral requirements, and [ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) to understand the system design before submitting code.

Contributions do not need to be low-level C internals: bug reports, documentation updates, typo fixes, wording/UX clarifications, and translations are all valuable.



## License



YtreeNova is free software distributed under the GPL. See the [LICENSE.md](LICENSE.md) file for details.



## Contributors



For detailed authorship, see [AUTHORS.md](docs/AUTHORS.md).