head to head · open source
Files vs lf
Files has 46,500 GitHub stars, 3,014 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. lf has 9,588 stars, 392 forks, 85 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. Files leads on adoption by 385% (46,500 vs 9,588 stars). Files is written in C# under MIT; lf is written in Go under MIT. Files has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, lf 4%. Files was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (file-manager), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Files | lf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 47K | ★ 9.6K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | C# | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.0K | ⑂ 392 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Files if
- You weight community size — 47K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C#
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick lf if
- You want the lf feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and lf fits your workflow better
About Files
Files is a modern file manager that helps users organize their files and folders. Our mission with Files is to build the best file manager for Windows, and we’re proud to be building it out in the open so everyone can participate. User feedback helps shape the features we work on, & the bug reports on GitHub help to make Files more reliable. Built and maintained by the open source community, Files features robust multitasking experiences, file tags, deep integrations, and an intuitive design. Installing and running Files Files is a community driven project that depends on your support to grow and improve. Please…
read the full Files overview →
About lf
LF Doc Wiki lf:matrix.org (with IRC bridge) lf (as in "list files") is a terminal file manager written in Go with a heavy inspiration from ranger file manager. See faq for more information and tutorial for a gentle introduction with screencasts. Features Cross platform (Linux, macOS, BSDs, Windows) Single binary without any runtime dependencies Fast startup and low memory footprint due to native code and static binaries Asynchronous IO operations to avoid UI locking Server/client architecture and remote commands to manage multiple instances Extendable and configurable with shell commands Customizable keybindings…
More in Productivity & Utilities
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Frequently asked questions
Is Files or lf more popular?
Files has 46,500 GitHub stars and lf has 9,588. Files has the larger community by that measure.
Are Files and lf free?
Both are open source. Files is licensed under MIT and lf under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Files and lf?
Files is written in C# and lf in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Files or lf?
Choose Files if you want the larger community (46,500 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose lf if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.