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Ant Commander is file/directory management program which distinguishes itself primarily by being written in Java and including many *nix-like features, such as a command shell window and scripting processes. It includes a simple file viewer and several other useful features.

Because Ant Commander is written in Java and designed for multi-platform use, it does not entirely conform to Windows user interface guidelines, even though it is 'skinned' to look like windows. Minor issues can come up. For example, tabs do not have individual close boxes, the 'click to sort' buttons on the tops of columns look wrong compared to other Windows apps, and so on. The flip side of this is that users with multiple operating systems on their machines--such as Linux or Mac users with a Windows partition--can use a single tool to manage their files, and not have to do mental gymnastics each time they reboot into a different OS.

Ant Commander has the usual assortment of features: colored text to show different file types, copy/move/delete, zip/unzip, and so on. In addition, users can add functionality by creating new Java classes and plugging them in--a neat trick if you're a Java programmer, but of little use to average users. This feature is not especially well-documented, and, indeed, the overall help file is a bit sparse.

Overall, Ant Commander is most useful for people who like to tinker with their tools and customize them, or people who regularly shift operating systems and want a consistent interface.

Note: While the program is free for personal use, it requires a paid license for business use. A popup to this effect appears on a regular basis.

--Ian Harac