# Double Commander

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/double-commander/

8 people recommended Double Commander in Hacker News comments, 3 had mixed feelings and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 7 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Free, open source, cross-platform dual-pane file manager that copies Total Commander's shortcuts and plugins, and people use it as a reliable alternative.

Summary written by Claude from 15 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Free and open source (2 comments in the sample): "Does everything as TC, supports its plugins and is cross platform and open source." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50131801)) "Double Commander is open source and no cost." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46803218))
- Dual-pane layout like Midnight Commander (2 comments in the sample): "only double commander (forgot the exact name, it's a dual pan file browser like midnight commander) that worked" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46572612)) "I mostly use clones like Midnight Commander, Krusader and Double Commander" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50131333))
- Cross-platform file manager (1 comment in the sample): "It's cross-platform, so could switch file manager on Windows first to make it easier to switch to Linux later." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49565736))
- Total Commander-style shortcuts and plugins (1 comment in the sample): "Double Commander is an exact copy with the same (and configurable) shortcuts." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47546706))

## Other file managers people recommend

- [Dolphin file manager](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dolphin/): 66 recommend, 8 mixed, 16 criticize
- [Finder (macOS)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/finder/): 43 recommend, 18 mixed, 165 criticize
- [Midnight Commander](https://hackerapproved.com/p/midnight-commander/): 29 recommend, 5 mixed, 5 criticize
- [Windows Explorer](https://hackerapproved.com/p/windows-explorer/): 29 recommend, 4 mixed, 138 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Double Commander", https://hackerapproved.com/p/double-commander/ (8 recommend, 3 mixed, 1 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.