diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 1c8c86c70..3f64bcdf7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -181,6 +181,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "once_cell",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "bstr"
+version = "0.2.14"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "473fc6b38233f9af7baa94fb5852dca389e3d95b8e21c8e3719301462c5d9faf"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cache-padded"
 version = "1.1.1"
@@ -339,6 +348,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "log",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fnv"
+version = "1.0.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3f9eec918d3f24069decb9af1554cad7c880e2da24a9afd88aca000531ab82c1"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "form_urlencoded"
 version = "1.0.0"
@@ -429,6 +444,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "slab",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fuzzy-matcher"
+version = "0.3.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "54614a3312934d066701a80f20f15fa3b56d67ac7722b39eea5b4c9dd1d66c94"
+dependencies = [
+ "thread_local",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "getrandom"
 version = "0.1.15"
@@ -446,6 +470,19 @@ version = "0.3.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9b919933a397b79c37e33b77bb2aa3dc8eb6e165ad809e58ff75bc7db2e34574"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "globset"
+version = "0.4.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c152169ef1e421390738366d2f796655fec62621dabbd0fd476f905934061e4a"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "bstr",
+ "fnv",
+ "log",
+ "regex",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "hashbrown"
 version = "0.9.1"
@@ -508,9 +545,11 @@ dependencies = [
  "crossterm",
  "fern",
  "futures-util",
+ "fuzzy-matcher",
  "helix-core",
  "helix-lsp",
  "helix-view",
+ "ignore",
  "log",
  "num_cpus",
  "once_cell",
@@ -551,6 +590,24 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-normalization",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ignore"
+version = "0.4.17"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b287fb45c60bb826a0dc68ff08742b9d88a2fea13d6e0c286b3172065aaf878c"
+dependencies = [
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+ "globset",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "log",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex",
+ "same-file",
+ "thread_local",
+ "walkdir",
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "indexmap"
 version = "1.6.0"
@@ -929,6 +986,15 @@ version = "1.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "71d301d4193d031abdd79ff7e3dd721168a9572ef3fe51a1517aba235bd8f86e"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "same-file"
+version = "1.0.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "93fc1dc3aaa9bfed95e02e6eadabb4baf7e3078b0bd1b4d7b6b0b68378900502"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "scopeguard"
 version = "1.1.0"
@@ -1228,6 +1294,17 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9d5b2c62b4012a3e1eca5a7e077d13b3bf498c4073e33ccd58626607748ceeca"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "walkdir"
+version = "2.3.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "777182bc735b6424e1a57516d35ed72cb8019d85c8c9bf536dccb3445c1a2f7d"
+dependencies = [
+ "same-file",
+ "winapi",
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "wasi"
 version = "0.9.0+wasi-snapshot-preview1"
@@ -1265,6 +1342,15 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ac3b87c63620426dd9b991e5ce0329eff545bccbbb34f3be09ff6fb6ab51b7b6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "winapi-util"
+version = "0.1.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "70ec6ce85bb158151cae5e5c87f95a8e97d2c0c4b001223f33a334e3ce5de178"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "winapi-x86_64-pc-windows-gnu"
 version = "0.4.0"
diff --git a/helix-term/Cargo.toml b/helix-term/Cargo.toml
index b8eea7c2d..645ed155a 100644
--- a/helix-term/Cargo.toml
+++ b/helix-term/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,3 +32,7 @@ futures-util = "0.3"
 fern = "0.6"
 chrono = "0.4"
 log = "0.4"
+
+# File picker
+fuzzy-matcher = "0.3"
+ignore = "0.4"
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index cdd2ad346..4b2467217 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use helix_core::{
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 
 use crate::compositor::Compositor;
-use crate::ui::{Prompt, PromptEvent};
+use crate::ui::{self, Prompt, PromptEvent};
 
 use helix_view::{
     document::Mode,
@@ -456,6 +456,12 @@ pub fn command_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
         compositor.push(Box::new(prompt));
     }));
 }
+pub fn file_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
+    cx.callback = Some(Box::new(|compositor: &mut Compositor| {
+        let picker = ui::Picker::new();
+        compositor.push(Box::new(picker));
+    }));
+}
 
 // calculate line numbers for each selection range
 fn selection_lines(state: &State) -> Vec<usize> {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
index 884c04a1a..a31676e4d 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ pub fn default() -> Keymaps {
                 }] => commands::page_down,
                 vec![ctrl!('u')] => commands::half_page_up,
                 vec![ctrl!('d')] => commands::half_page_down,
+
+                vec![ctrl!('p')] => commands::file_picker,
             ),
             Mode::Insert => hashmap!(
                 vec![Key {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/helix.log b/helix-term/src/ui/helix.log
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index 9a70d1bd7..cb79a1d13 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 mod editor;
+mod picker;
 mod prompt;
 
 pub use editor::EditorView;
+pub use picker::Picker;
 pub use prompt::{Prompt, PromptEvent};
 
 pub use tui::layout::Rect;
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5046ef745
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,205 @@
+use crate::compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult};
+use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
+use tui::buffer::Buffer as Surface;
+use tui::{
+    layout::Rect,
+    style::{Color, Style},
+    widgets::{Block, Borders},
+};
+
+use fuzzy_matcher::skim::SkimMatcherV2 as Matcher;
+use fuzzy_matcher::FuzzyMatcher;
+use ignore::Walk;
+
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use crate::ui::{Prompt, PromptEvent};
+use helix_core::Position;
+use helix_view::Editor;
+
+pub struct Picker {
+    files: Vec<PathBuf>,
+    // filter: String,
+    matcher: Box<Matcher>,
+
+    cursor: usize,
+    // pattern: String,
+    prompt: Prompt,
+}
+
+impl Picker {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        let files = Walk::new("./").filter_map(|entry| match entry {
+            Ok(entry) => {
+                // filter dirs, but we might need special handling for symlinks!
+                if !entry.file_type().unwrap().is_dir() {
+                    Some(entry.into_path())
+                } else {
+                    None
+                }
+            }
+            Err(_err) => None,
+        });
+
+        let prompt = Prompt::new(
+            "".to_string(),
+            |pattern: &str| Vec::new(),
+            |editor: &mut Editor, pattern: &str, event: PromptEvent| {
+                //
+            },
+        );
+
+        const MAX: usize = 1024;
+
+        Self {
+            files: files.take(MAX).collect(),
+            matcher: Box::new(Matcher::default()),
+            cursor: 0,
+            prompt,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn score(&mut self, pattern: &str) {
+        self.files.iter().filter_map(|path| match path.to_str() {
+            // TODO: using fuzzy_indices could give us the char idx for match highlighting
+            Some(path) => (self.matcher.fuzzy_match(path, pattern)),
+            None => None,
+        });
+    }
+
+    pub fn move_up(&mut self) {
+        self.cursor = self.cursor.saturating_sub(1);
+    }
+
+    pub fn move_down(&mut self) {
+        // TODO: len - 1
+        if self.cursor < self.files.len() {
+            self.cursor += 1;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// process:
+// - read all the files into a list, maxed out at a large value
+// - on input change:
+//  - score all the names in relation to input
+
+impl Component for Picker {
+    fn handle_event(&mut self, event: Event, cx: &mut Context) -> EventResult {
+        let key_event = match event {
+            Event::Key(event) => event,
+            Event::Resize(..) => return EventResult::Consumed(None),
+            _ => return EventResult::Ignored,
+        };
+
+        let close_fn = EventResult::Consumed(Some(Box::new(|compositor: &mut Compositor| {
+            // remove the layer
+            compositor.pop();
+        })));
+
+        match key_event {
+            // KeyEvent {
+            //     code: KeyCode::Char(c),
+            //     modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
+            // } => {
+            //     self.insert_char(c);
+            //     (self.callback_fn)(cx.editor, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
+            // }
+            KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Up, ..
+            }
+            | KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Char('k'),
+                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
+            } => self.move_up(),
+            KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Down,
+                ..
+            }
+            | KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Char('j'),
+                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
+            } => self.move_down(),
+            KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
+            } => {
+                return close_fn;
+            }
+            _ => return self.prompt.handle_event(event, cx),
+        }
+
+        EventResult::Consumed(None)
+    }
+
+    fn render(&self, area: Rect, surface: &mut Surface, cx: &mut Context) {
+        let padding_vertical = area.height * 20 / 100;
+        let padding_horizontal = area.width * 20 / 100;
+
+        let area = Rect::new(
+            area.x + padding_horizontal,
+            area.y + padding_vertical,
+            area.width - padding_horizontal * 2,
+            area.height - padding_vertical * 2,
+        );
+
+        // -- Render the frame:
+
+        // clear  area
+        for y in area.top()..area.bottom() {
+            for x in area.left()..area.right() {
+                surface.get_mut(x, y).reset()
+            }
+        }
+
+        use tui::widgets::Widget;
+        // don't like this but the lifetime sucks
+        let block = Block::default().borders(Borders::ALL);
+
+        // calculate the inner area inside the box
+        let inner = block.inner(area);
+
+        block.render(area, surface);
+        // TODO: abstract into a clear(area) fn
+        // surface.set_style(inner, Style::default().bg(Color::Rgb(150, 50, 0)));
+
+        // -- Render the input bar:
+
+        let area = Rect::new(inner.x + 1, inner.y, inner.width - 1, 1);
+        self.prompt.render(area, surface, cx);
+
+        // -- Separator
+        use tui::widgets::BorderType;
+        let style = Style::default().fg(Color::Rgb(90, 89, 119));
+        let symbols = BorderType::line_symbols(BorderType::Plain);
+        for x in inner.left()..inner.right() {
+            surface
+                .get_mut(x, inner.y + 1)
+                .set_symbol(symbols.horizontal)
+                .set_style(style);
+        }
+
+        // -- Render the contents:
+
+        let style = Style::default().fg(Color::Rgb(164, 160, 232)); // lavender
+        let selected = Style::default().fg(Color::Rgb(255, 255, 255));
+
+        let rows = inner.height - 2; // -1 for search bar
+        for (i, file) in self.files.iter().take(rows as usize).enumerate() {
+            if i == self.cursor {
+                surface.set_string(inner.x + 1, inner.y + 2 + i as u16, ">", selected);
+            }
+
+            surface.set_stringn(
+                inner.x + 3,
+                inner.y + 2 + i as u16,
+                file.strip_prefix("./").unwrap().to_str().unwrap(), // TODO: render paths without ./
+                inner.width as usize - 1,
+                if i == self.cursor { selected } else { style },
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn cursor_position(&self, area: Rect, ctx: &mut Context) -> Option<Position> {
+        self.prompt.cursor_position(area, ctx)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
index 07c0f9170..58efd5602 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
@@ -149,8 +149,13 @@ impl Prompt {
         }
         let line = area.height - 1;
         // render buffer text
-        surface.set_string(0, line, &self.prompt, text_color);
-        surface.set_string(self.prompt.len() as u16, line, &self.line, text_color);
+        surface.set_string(area.x, area.y + line, &self.prompt, text_color);
+        surface.set_string(
+            area.x + self.prompt.len() as u16,
+            area.y + line,
+            &self.line,
+            text_color,
+        );
     }
 }
 
@@ -158,6 +163,7 @@ impl Component for Prompt {
     fn handle_event(&mut self, event: Event, cx: &mut Context) -> EventResult {
         let event = match event {
             Event::Key(event) => event,
+            Event::Resize(..) => return EventResult::Consumed(None),
             _ => return EventResult::Ignored,
         };