Let's say, you copied some files from /path/to/a and paste them into /path/to/b, and now you want to return to /path/to/a spending the least possible mental effort.

Before v0.21.5 was released, you would probably use one of the following options:

1. Manually navigate to the destination directory using h j k l or the arrow keys.

2. Keep pressing ctrl-o to navigate back through the location history, until you reach the destination.

3. Use dual-pane.xplr, or context-switch.xplr, or some bookmark hack to navigate back and forth the target and destination directories.

However, with the new release, xplr comes with a built-in innovative new feature, where you neither have to keep pressing ctrl-o, nor manually bookmark paths or open a new context or pane.

Just press (.

It will pass the PreviousVisitedDeepBranch message to quickly take you to /path/to/a.

And press ) to pass NextVisitedDeepBranch message to quickly take you to /path/to/b.

Inspired by tree-view.xplr's ( and ) key bindings, This feature basically lets you quickly navigate between the deepest branches from your location history.

What if the directory you want to return to isn't the deepest branch that you visited?

In that case, just visit the deepest branch with the same parent by pressing ( or ) and then to the destination directory by pressing left or h key. In most cases, it shouldn't take more mental effort than marking a new bookmark, or opening a new pane/context.

Want to try it out yourself? Go ahead and install xplr v0.21.5 right now.