Manta Manual
Everything about Manta, the file manager for macOS: installing, managing files, servers, cloud and archives, terminal, Git, plugins and settings – explained step by step.
- 1Getting StartedManta is a file manager for the Mac with several panes side by side. This chapter shows how to install Manta, what happens at the first launch and why macOS asks you for permission.
- 2Panes & TabsManta shows your files in panes side by side – two, three or as many as fit in your window. Each pane has its own tabs, path bar and history.
- 3ViewsAs in Finder, each pane can show its items as Icons, as a List, in Columns or as a Gallery. Switch views with ⌘1 to ⌘4 or with the switcher in the path bar.
- 4NavigationThis chapter shows how to move around folders: with the path bar, with Go to Path…, with the history and with the keyboard. At the end it covers filtering, type to select and hidden files.
- 5Managing FilesCopy, move, rename, delete and create folders – on your Mac, on servers, in containers and between all of them. Read the section on deleting in particular: on your Mac, deleted items go to…
- 6Quick Look & PreviewPress Space to look at a file without opening it. For files on your Mac Manta uses Apple's Quick Look, like Finder; for files on servers and in archives there is a built-in preview.
- 7Favorites & SidebarThe sidebar on the left takes you to your most important places in one click: favorites, standard folders, drives, connected servers, containers and cloud storage. A click opens the place…
- 8ConnectionsManta opens folders on servers (SFTP, FTP, FTPS, WebDAV, SMB), in S3 storage and in Docker and Kubernetes containers like local folders. You copy, move and rename there just as on your Mac.
- 9Cloud StorageManta shows iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and other cloud storage that your Mac already syncs. You can see which files are only in the cloud, download them, or remove the…
- 10ArchivesManta opens ZIP and TAR archives like folders: you see the contents right away, without extracting first. This chapter also covers extracting archives and creating new ones.
- 11TerminalBelow each pane you can show a terminal that follows the pane's folder – and the other way round. It runs where the pane is: on your Mac, on an SFTP server or in a container.
- 12GitWhen a folder is in a Git repository, Manta shows each file's status right in the list, the branch in the path bar, and a Git panel for staging and committing. git must be installed on…
- 13Compare & SyncCompare & Sync shows how two folders differ and, if you want, makes them match – on your Mac, between your Mac and a server, or between two servers. The window compares two panes.
- 14Built-in PluginsMany of Manta's features live in built-in plugins. They're on from the start, and you can turn each one off in Settings → Plugins. Git and Terminal have chapters of their own: Git, Terminal.
- 15Your Own PluginsYou can extend Manta with plugins of your own – in any programming language. This chapter explains what a plugin can do, how to install, update and find one and what to watch out for. The…
- 16SettingsEvery one of Manta's settings, section by section. All changes apply immediately; you never need to restart.
- 17UpdatesManta quietly checks for a new version at every launch and only installs it when you agree. This chapter explains how it works, what goes over the network, and what to do when an update…
- 18Keyboard ShortcutsEvery Manta shortcut at a glance, grouped by topic. The command palette (⇧⌘P) shows each command's shortcut next to it – plugin commands too. The menu bar lists every command with its…
- 19TroubleshootingSolutions for common problems, and where Manta logs errors. If you report a bug, the log file helps a lot.
- 20FAQShort answers to frequently asked questions. The linked chapters have the details.