Everything-powered search, Lua scripting with 400+ APIs, cron scheduler, versioned backups, file system watchers, AI automation, and Magic Wormhole transfer — in one local-first workspace.
30-day Pro trial · No subscription required · Free Core tier forever
Plain facts about the scope — not a pitch.
Dual pane, tabs, Miller Columns, themes, tags
Everything SDK integration, EQL syntax, Smart Folders
26 Lua scripting modules, 400+ API functions
Cron expressions with catch-up policies for missed runs
Content-addressable storage, deduplication, point-in-time restore
Real-time event handling with debouncing
Describe what you want, get inspectable Lua scripts (BYOK)
Encrypted peer-to-peer file transfer
Git status columns, grep search, text diff, HTTP client, JSON tooling
More than a faster Explorer replacement. Find files instantly, organize them intelligently, automate repetitive work, and recover older versions when things go sideways.
Everything-powered search turns results into a live workspace. Filter, refine, save. Work from results directly instead of starting over every time.
Smart Folders, tags, metadata and virtual navigation let you structure files by meaning — not by where they happen to live.
Built-in versioned backup keeps recovery as simple as browsing files. No separate backup tool to wrestle with.
TheFile.Ninja deeply integrates with Everything to deliver real-time results across huge file collections. But speed is only half the story: searches can be refined, inspected, saved, and turned into Smart Folders that stay up to date automatically.
Search is not a side panel here. It is a first-class way to navigate your files.
Describe what you want in plain English. AI generates a real Lua script using TheFile.Ninja's 400+ API functions. Inspect it, refine it through chat, save it as a reusable automation — or ignore AI entirely and write your own.
Refine the script through conversation — "also skip anything tagged 'important'", "make it dry-run first" — until it does exactly what you want. Then save it as a reusable automation.
Prefer full manual control? Write Lua directly against 400+ API functions across 26 modules. The AI layer helps when you want it and stays out of the way when you don't.
Inspect the code. Preview the run. Stay in control.
Most file managers treat search, folders, backup, and automation as separate tools. TheFile.Ninja brings them into one consistent workspace. A search result, a Smart Folder, a backup snapshot, and a live directory all look and behave the same way — so you never have to switch context or learn a different tool.
Live data, search results, backups, and virtual sources — navigated the same way.
Git-aware columns, async job queues, history and undo/redo of file operations — tools that save minutes every day.
Git repos show branch and dirty state. A dedicated column displays Modified/Untracked entries — sortable by state.
Copy, move, and archive run in a background queue. Pause, resume, prioritize — without blocking the UI.
Keep your files safe, versioned, and easily recoverable — without reaching for a separate backup tool.
Search file contents with grep-like precision. Regex support, file type filters, and results you can browse and act on directly.
Compare files, versions, or Git diffs with a built-in diff viewer. Spot changes instantly with highlighted additions, deletions, and modifications.
Send files and folders securely between devices — computers, phones, tablets — using Magic Wormhole. No cloud, no accounts, end-to-end encrypted.
Try free for 30 days. Then own it forever. Unlimited machines. No subscriptions.
Free forever — and you start with a 30-day trial of every Pro feature.
During your 30-day Pro trial
After 30 days — Core, free forever
For daily use. One payment, permanent license, no subscription.
For early believers. Lock in updates forever at a price that won't come back.
Where we are. Where we're going. Subject to change based on feedback.
Follow the development journey — articles, videos, and insights from the build process.
Quick answers to common questions about TheFile.Ninja.
Yes! Core is free forever, and you start with a 30-day trial of every Pro feature — no credit card, no limitations. After 30 days you keep the free Core tier, or a one-time Pro or Lifetime purchase unlocks everything for good. No subscriptions.
Everything 1.5 by voidtools is included with TheFile.Ninja, giving you instant search across millions of files out of the box. If you already run an existing Everything instance, you can easily switch over to use that one instead.
Your license is permanent and works offline. If development ever stops, the last version you have continues to work forever. We're also exploring open-sourcing the core if the project is ever discontinued.
No. TheFile.Ninja is a local-first application. It doesn't phone home, track usage, or upload your file data anywhere. AI features use your own API key and communicate directly with the provider — we never see your queries.
Short answer: it's a false positive, not malware.
TheFile.Ninja is a young application that does a lot of legitimate low-level file work, like searching, moving, tagging, and running scripts. To an antivirus engine, a brand-new program with little install history that touches the file system this heavily can look suspicious, so some engines flag it preemptively. You'll see this as a "HEUR", "Generic", or "Trojan.Win32.Generic" style detection, which means the engine matched behavior that resembles a threat, not an actual virus. The exact name varies by vendor.
A few things worth knowing:
For peace of mind: TheFile.Ninja is local-first. It has no telemetry and doesn't phone home, so nothing about your files or how you use the app ever leaves your machine. If a detection still worries you, email me at joakim@kodar.ninja and I'll dig into it.
That blue screen comes from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, and it's about reputation, not safety. SmartScreen warns whenever you run an app it hasn't seen many times yet. TheFile.Ninja is new and not yet widely installed, so Windows treats it as "unrecognized" even though there's nothing wrong with it.
To run it: click "More info" on the dialog, then "Run anyway". If you'd like to confirm the installer is clean first, here's a VirusTotal scan.
The warning fades on its own as more people install the app, and I'm code-signing the installer, which is what tells Windows to trust it sooner. Please don't disable SmartScreen to get past this. The "More info" then "Run anyway" step is all you need.
Yes. Your license is personal and can be used on any number of machines.
Dual pane, Everything search, tags, backup, scripting, Smart Folders, preview pane — all included. Ready in under a minute.