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Spectra

File Manager

The sidebar provides a file tree and Git status panel without leaving the terminal.

Toggle Sidebar

  • Keyboard: Cmd+\
  • Menu: View > Toggle Sidebar
  • Command Palette: type “Toggle Sidebar”

Files Tab

Browse the directory tree with:

  • Click to preview files (Markdown, JSON, HTML, images, PDF)
  • Double-click to open in your default editor
  • Hidden files toggle (eye icon) to show/hide dotfiles
  • Lazy-loading for large directories

File preview overlay showing AGENTS.md Click a file to open an in-window preview panel. Supports Markdown rendering, JSON formatting, HTML, PDF, and images.

Git Tab

Real-time Git status for all repositories under the sidebar root:

  • Status badges: modified, added, deleted, renamed, untracked
  • Auto-refresh: file system changes trigger automatic status updates
  • Multi-repo: discovers all Git repositories in subdirectories
  • Manual refresh: click the refresh button or switch to the Git tab

Git diff preview Click a changed file in the Git tab to see a diff overlay.

Auto-Refresh

Git status updates automatically when:

  • Files are saved (by Spectra or external editors)
  • You switch branches
  • The app returns to the foreground after being in the background

Auto-refresh uses macOS FSEvents with debouncing to avoid unnecessary work.