Yazi, fzf, lnav, Atuin, trash-cli, and zoxide cover six jobs that often send people to a graphical app: browsing files, finding a partial match, investigating logs, recovering a past command, moving files to a trash workflow, and returning to a familiar directory. They are not one-for-one replacements for a desktop environment. In a September 20, 2026 article, Skeptic Society Magazine’s author describes using them to avoid switching to a GUI by default while still keeping GUI apps for tasks they suit better.
What each tool does
These tools solve different problems rather than competing as six versions of the same utility. The practical choice is the job you want to do, not whether you want to install a complete terminal-only workflow.
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| Tool | Useful for | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Yazi | Browsing and managing files | Interactive navigation with previews, so you can inspect items rather than rely on filenames alone. |
| fzf | Finding and selecting items from a list | Fuzzy matching can help when you remember only part of a filename, command, or other entry. |
| lnav | Investigating logs | Log-focused viewing, filtering, chronological inspection, and SQL queries over log data. |
| Atuin | Searching shell history | Interactive history search with context such as directory, Git workspace, session, or host. |
| trash-cli | Removing files with a trash workflow | Offers a way to list or restore items sent to trash, unlike ordinary rm removal. |
| zoxide | Returning to directories you have visited | Uses a short query to help jump back to familiar locations. |
Browse files without relying on names alone
Yazi: interactive file navigation
A terminal file manager can help when you want to move through folders, preview files, and perform common file operations in one interactive view. That makes Yazi the most direct fit in this group for the “open a file browser” task.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →It is not a reason to discard File Explorer or another GUI file manager. The source author says they still use File Explorer in some cases; a visual desktop interface can remain the better choice when it makes inspection or file handling easier.
#1 Best Overall
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Find a partial match or a past command
fzf: select from a list
fzf is the broad selection tool of the six. Its fuzzy search is useful when you remember only a fragment of a filename or command, and the source also describes using it with command history and Git commits. Think of it as a way to narrow and choose from entries, not as a file manager with its own full browsing workflow.
Atuin: search history with context
Atuin targets shell history specifically. If the command itself is hazy but you have a better memory of where or when you ran it, context such as the directory, Git workspace, session, or host can help distinguish relevant history entries.
Rank #2
- Reliable Plug and Play: The USB receiver provides a reliable wireless connection up to 33 ft (1), so you can forget about drop-outs and delays and you can take it wherever you use your computer
- Type in Comfort: The design of this keyboard creates a comfortable typing experience thanks to the low-profile, quiet keys and standard layout with full-size F-keys, number pad, and arrow keys
- Durable and Resilient: This full-size wireless keyboard features a spill-resistant design (2), durable keys and sturdy tilt legs with adjustable height
- Long Battery Life: MK270 combo features a 36-month keyboard and 12-month mouse battery life (3), along with on/off switches allowing you to go months without the hassle of changing batteries
- Easy to Use: This wireless keyboard and mouse combo features 8 multimedia hotkeys for instant access to the Internet, email, play/pause, and volume so you can easily check out your favorite sites
The distinction is useful: fzf can filter lists in several contexts, while Atuin is described here as a history-search experience that can use details around a command. The article presents these as complementary possibilities, not as a benchmarked comparison.
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Investigate logs in a log-oriented view
lnav: filter and inspect log data
lnav is the recommendation for making sense of logs. The source describes using it to filter and inspect log entries chronologically, bring multiple logs into a common chronological view, and query log data with SQL. That combination is aimed at investigation: locating relevant entries and understanding their sequence.
Rank #3
- All-day Comfort: The design of this standard keyboard creates a comfortable typing experience thanks to the deep-profile keys and full-size standard layout with F-keys and number pad
- Easy to Set-up and Use: Set-up couldn't be easier, you simply plug in this corded keyboard via USB on your desktop or laptop and start using right away without any software installation
- Compatibility: This full-size keyboard is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 or later, plus it's a reliable and durable partner for your desk at home, or at work
- Spill-proof: This durable keyboard features a spill-resistant design (1), anti-fade keys and sturdy tilt legs with adjustable height, meaning this keyboard is built to last
- Plastic parts in K120 include 51% certified post-consumer recycled plastic*
These are capabilities described by the article’s author, not independently validated performance results. Whether this workflow fits your logs depends on your files and setup.
Choose a safer deletion workflow
trash-cli: send items to trash
Ordinary rm removes files rather than placing them in a trash-and-restore workflow. trash-cli is described as an option for sending files to trash, listing them, and restoring them. That can add a recovery path for mistakes, but it does not guarantee that every deleted file can always be recovered; do not treat it as a substitute for backups.
Rank #4
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Return to directories you know
zoxide: recall a location by query
zoxide is for directory navigation: it helps you jump back to previously visited folders using a short query. It addresses the problem of remembering where a project or file lives, rather than searching all entries in a list as fzf does.
Do you need all six?
No. Pick according to the task that currently interrupts your work:
Best Value
- All-day Comfort: This USB keyboard creates a comfortable and familiar typing experience thanks to the deep-profile keys and standard full-size layout with all F-keys, number pad and arrow keys
- Built to Last: The spill-proof (2) design and durable print characters keep you on track for years to come despite any on-the-job mishaps; it’s a reliable partner for your desk at home, or at work
- Long-lasting Battery Life: A 24-month battery life (4) means you can go for 2 years without the hassle of changing batteries of your wireless full-size keyboard
- Simply plug the USB receiver into a USB port on your desktop, laptop or netbook computer and start using the keyboard right away without any software installation
- Simply Wireless: Forget about drop-outs and delays thanks to a strong, reliable wireless connection with up to 33 ft range (5); K270 is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 or later
- For interactive file browsing and previews, consider Yazi.
- For fuzzy selection across files, commands, or other lists, consider fzf.
- For log-focused filtering and chronological inspection, consider lnav.
- For searching past shell commands with contextual clues, consider Atuin.
- For a trash-and-restore workflow in the terminal, consider trash-cli.
- For revisiting familiar folders with a short query, consider zoxide.
The underlying point of the September 20, 2026 Skeptic Society Magazine article is not that every GUI is obsolete. Its author recommends these tools from personal experience and explicitly continues using graphical applications where they make more sense. The article does not establish that the tools suit every user, nor does it independently verify their current operating-system support, prices, release status, or maintenance. Check each project’s current documentation before choosing or installing it.
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