caja

Open the current user home directory

$ caja

$ caja [path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...]

$ caja --tabs [path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...]

$ caja --geometry=[600]x[400] [path/to/directory]

$ caja --quit

caja [options] [URIs...]

-s, --select
    Select the specified file or URI in the opened window.

-d, --no-desktop
    Do not manage the desktop (e.g., draw icons, handle background).

--browser
    Open a new browser window.

--new-window
    Open a new window.

--new-tab
    Open a new tab in the current window.

--geometry=GEOMETRY
    Specify the initial window geometry (e.g., 800x600+100+50).

--version
    Display the version information.

-?, --help
    Show a summary of command-line options.

caja is the official file manager for the MATE desktop environment, offering a robust graphical interface for file and folder management. It enables users to easily navigate the file system, open files, and perform standard operations like creating, deleting, copying, moving, and renaming files and directories.

Beyond basic file operations, caja deeply integrates with the MATE desktop, responsible for drawing desktop icons, handling removable media, and managing desktop backgrounds. It originated as a fork of Nautilus (GNOME Files) from the GNOME 2 era, specifically designed to preserve the classic, user-friendly file manager experience.

As a primarily graphical application, caja's command-line options are more for launching or influencing its initial state rather than scripting complex file operations. Its behavior can be significantly influenced by the active MATE desktop session settings, especially regarding how new windows or tabs are opened, or how it manages the desktop.

When running as part of the MATE desktop session, caja is the component responsible for displaying desktop icons, setting the desktop background, and managing the automatic mounting and unmounting of removable storage devices like USB drives and CDs/DVDs.

caja supports a plugin architecture, allowing users and developers to extend its functionality. These extensions can add new features, context menu options, preview capabilities, and integrate with other applications, enhancing the file manager's versatility.

Caja's origins are deeply intertwined with the development of the MATE desktop environment. MATE emerged as a continuation of the classic GNOME 2 desktop after the significant shift to GNOME 3 and its GNOME Shell.

The original file manager for GNOME 2 was Nautilus. However, with GNOME 3, Nautilus underwent substantial changes, including the removal of features like desktop handling and spatial mode, which were central to the GNOME 2 experience. To preserve this familiar and popular file management interface, the MATE development team forked Nautilus and renamed it Caja (Spanish for 'box' or 'drawer').

Since its inception, Caja has been actively maintained and evolved by the MATE community, serving as the default and integral file manager for the MATE desktop environment, offering a stable and traditional user experience.

nautilus(1), thunar(1), dolphin(1), pcmanfm(1), mate-session(1)