Drag-and-drop in the terminal? Now it's possible with ripdrag

Imagine this: you're working in the terminal, found the file you need via find or fzf, and now want to drag it into a graphical application. Usually you'd have to open the file manager and search for the same file again... Sound familiar? Developer nik012003 solved this problem with ripdrag.

What is ripdrag?

ripdrag is a command-line utility that turns your terminal into a source or target for drag-and-drop operations. Written in Rust using GTK4, it delivers both speed and a modern interface.

Key features

1. Dragging files from the terminal Simply specify the file path, and ripdrag creates a window from which you can drag the file into any graphical application:

   ripdrag /path/to/file.png
   

2. Receiving files into the terminal With the -t flag, ripdrag becomes a drop target:

   ripdrag -t
   

3. Fuzzy search integration Works seamlessly with fzf for instant file selection:

   ripdrag $(fzf)
   

4. Flexible display settings Customize icon sizes, disable thumbnails, show only filenames, and much more.

Technical details

The project is a modern alternative to the dragon utility, but written in Rust using GTK4. This provides:

• Better performance
• Modern interface
• Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS)

Practical applications

1. Quick file uploads to web applications Instead of finding a file through the standard dialog — just drag it from the terminal.

2. Batch file processing Gather files via find/xargs and drag them all at once.

3. Working with graphics editors Quickly open files for editing without navigating through the file manager.

Installation

For most Linux distributions:

sudo apt install libgtk-4-dev build-essential curl
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.3 https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh
cargo install ripdrag

Arch Linux users can install the package from AUR:

yay -S ripdrag-git

ripdrag is one of those tools you don't realize you need until you try it. Especially useful for:

• Developers who frequently work in the terminal
• System administrators
• Anyone looking to speed up their file workflow

The project is actively developed and welcomes contributions. If you're missing a feature — why not add it yourself?

Try ripdrag today and experience how much smoother file management can be!