lgse/strata

What it solves

Strata is a fast, keyboard-first file manager for modern Linux desktops, specifically designed for Omarchy and compatible GTK4 environments. It addresses the need for a high-performance file browser that combines spatial navigation with powerful search and deep system integration.

How it works

Strata utilizes a combination of three browsing modes—Columns (spatial Miller columns), Icons grid, and a sortable List table—to allow users to navigate files efficiently. It employs a background indexing thread to ensure that recursive searches remain fast and non-blocking to the UI. For system integration, it leverages GIO/GVfs for remote locations (like SMB shares) and integrates with the org.freedesktop.FileManager1 D-Bus interface to handle "Open file location" requests from other applications.

Who it’s for

It is primarily aimed at Linux users, particularly those using Arch Linux or Omarchy, who prefer keyboard-driven workflows (such as Vim-style movement) and require a responsive file manager with rich file previews.

Highlights

• Three Browser Modes: Supports Columns, Icons, and List views.
• Keyboard-First Control: Features Vim-style movement, fuzzy search, and quick previews.
• Fast Recursive Search: Global search across home and local drives that indexes in the background.
• Rich Previews: Bounded previews for text, source code, images, PDF, audio, and video.
• Deep Linux Integration: Supports GIO/GVfs for network shares and can be set as the system file chooser.
• Adaptive Appearance: Includes six bundled themes, custom TOML-based themes, and live theme following for Omarchy Quattro.