Cmder

What Cmder is

Cmder is a portable console emulator package for Windows, built on ConEmu with enhancements from Clink, a Monokai color scheme, and a custom prompt layout. Its tabs can run cmd.exe, PowerShell, Bash, and Mintty, and it supports split panes, scripting, and SSH. Settings, aliases, and history can travel with the package on a USB stick or in the cloud, according to its maker. The Full edition includes Git for Windows, which adds Unix commands to PATH; Mini leaves out the vendored Git binaries. Users can configure simple aliases with the alias command, store them in config/aliases, and add executable files to PATH by placing them in the bin folder. Registering Cmder with /REGISTER ALL adds a “Cmder Here” option to File Explorer’s directory context menu. The documentation describes starting the included SSH agent with start-ssh-agent. Cmder is free and the repository identifies its license as MIT. Mini is about 7.8 MB; Full is about 100 MB or 52 MB as a 7z archive.

Who it suits

Cmder suits Windows users who want a portable console package with multiple shell choices, split panes, and SSH support. Choose Full for included Git for Windows, or Mini if you do not need those bundled binaries.

Limits

Mini excludes vendored Git binaries, and its preconfigured Bash tabs may not work without additional configuration. Full includes Git for Windows; both editions are free.

Getting started

1. Visit the Cmder website.
2. Choose the free Mini or Full edition.
3. Use Mini for a smaller download or Full for bundled Git for Windows.
4. Run the package on Windows.
5. Optionally register it with /REGISTER ALL to add “Cmder Here” to File Explorer.

Verdict

Cmder combines a portable Windows console with multiple shells and customization options. The choice between Mini and Full mainly affects whether Git for Windows binaries are included.