Filesystem capabilities
Newt uses the same pane interface for every filesystem, but each backend exposes the operations its storage model can support.
| Filesystem | Read | Write | Rename | Links | Metadata | Trash | Free space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| S3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓¹ | — | Object metadata | — | — |
| SFTP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Unix metadata | — | — |
| Remote agent | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Target-dependent | Target-dependent | Target-dependent | Target-dependent |
| Archive | ✓ | — | — | Read existing² | Read existing | — | — |
| Disc image | ✓ | — | — | Read existing² | Read existing | — | — |
| Search results | Source-dependent | Source-dependent | Source-dependent | Source-dependent | Source-dependent | Source-dependent | Source-dependent |
¹ S3 has no native rename; Newt copies and then deletes.
² Links stored in supported archive and image formats are resolved while browsing; the read-only mount cannot create new ones.
Local and remote-agent filesystems
Section titled “Local and remote-agent filesystems”The local filesystem provides full native access, directory watching, ownership and permission changes where the operating system supports them, and free-space reporting.
A remote-agent mount uses the target’s local filesystem through SSH, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, or a custom transport, so its capabilities follow the target filesystem. A client-local mount, present in a full remote session that has access to this host, also provides normal read and write operations through Newt.
S3 supports object reads and writes, copies, prefix creation, deletion, and
metadata. Directories are simulated from /-separated object keys. Copy can
preserve object metadata, tags, and access grants when requested. There is no
trash, so deletes are permanent after confirmation.
SFTP supports ordinary reads and writes, directory creation, rename, deletion, links, and common Unix metadata. It reports no free space and has no trash, so deletes are permanent after confirmation.
Read-only locations
Section titled “Read-only locations”Archives, bare compressed files, and disc images are read-only. Files can be viewed or copied out to a writable location, but cannot be modified in place.
Search results are aliases for the original entries rather than copies. Operations act on each source file and inherit the source filesystem’s capabilities.
Archive and image formats
Section titled “Archive and image formats”| Format | Read | Not supported |
|---|---|---|
| TAR | ustar, old GNU, PAX, V7 | Old-style GNU sparse members |
| CPIO | newc (with or without CRC), odc | Old binary form |
| ar | GNU/System V and BSD long names | Windows .lib is not claimed by extension |
| ZIP | Store, deflate, deflate64, bzip2, LZMA, zstd, xz; ZIP64, self-extracting, CP437 names, Unix symlinks and permissions; ZipCrypto and WinZip AES (128/192/256-bit) | PPMd, shrink, implode, reduce; split or multi-disk archives; PKWARE strong encryption |
| 7z | Copy, LZMA/LZMA2, Deflate, BZip2, Zstd, Delta, BCJ/BCJ2 filters, AES-256; Unix modes, timestamps, DOS attributes, symlinks | PPMd and other coders; split volumes; self-extracting executables |
| gzip, bzip2, xz, zstd | Single stream; concatenated zstd frames | Only the first of concatenated gzip, bzip2, or xz streams is read |
| Disc image | ISO 9660 with Joliet and Rock Ridge; UDF 1.02–2.60 | BIN/CUE, NRG, multi-session, packet-written media, zisofs |
Refresh
Section titled “Refresh”| Filesystem | Refreshes automatically |
|---|---|
| Local | On external changes, on window focus, and after Newt’s own operations |
| Remote agent | On window focus and after Newt’s own operations |
| S3, SFTP | After Newt’s own operations only, because listings may be expensive |
| Archives, disc images, compressed files, search results | Never |
Run Refresh File List from the Command Palette when needed.