diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/finders/find-file.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/finders/find-file.lua
index fa5eea51..34a8ee90 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/finders/find-file.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/finders/find-file.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ local log = require("nvim-tree.log")
 local view = require("nvim-tree.view")
 local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
 local core = require("nvim-tree.core")
+
+local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
 local Iterator = require("nvim-tree.iterators.node-iterator")
 
 local M = {}
@@ -59,19 +61,27 @@ function M.fn(path)
       local link_match = node.link_to and vim.startswith(path_real, node.link_to .. utils.path_separator)
 
       if abs_match or link_match then
-        if not node.group_next then
-          node.open = true
-        end
-        if #node.nodes == 0 then
-          core.get_explorer():expand(node)
-          if node.group_next and incremented_line then
-            line = line - 1
+        local dir = node:as(DirectoryNode)
+        if dir then
+          if not dir.group_next then
+            dir.open = true
+          end
+          if #dir.nodes == 0 then
+            core.get_explorer():expand(dir)
+            if dir.group_next and incremented_line then
+              line = line - 1
+            end
           end
         end
       end
     end)
     :recursor(function(node)
-      return node.group_next and { node.group_next } or (node.open and #node.nodes > 0 and node.nodes)
+      node = node and node:as(DirectoryNode)
+      if node then
+        return node.group_next and { node.group_next } or (node.open and #node.nodes > 0 and node.nodes)
+      else
+        return nil
+      end
     end)
     :iterate()
 
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
index 99799631..1cc6a3e5 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ local function move(explorer, where, what, skip_gitignored)
   end
 end
 
----@param node Node
+---@param node DirectoryNode
 local function expand_node(node)
   if node:is(DirectoryNode) and not node.open then
     ---@cast node DirectoryNode
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ local function move_next_recursive(explorer, what, skip_gitignored)
   if node_init.name ~= ".." then -- root node cannot have a status
     valid = status_is_valid(node_init, what, skip_gitignored)
   end
-  if node_init:is(DirectoryNode) and valid and not node_init.open then
-    ---@cast node_init DirectoryNode
-    node_init:expand_or_collapse(false)
+  local node_dir = node_init:as(DirectoryNode)
+  if node_dir and valid and not node_dir.open then
+    node_dir:expand_or_collapse(false)
   end
 
   move(explorer, "next", what, skip_gitignored)
@@ -120,20 +120,15 @@ local function move_next_recursive(explorer, what, skip_gitignored)
 
   -- i is used to limit iterations.
   local i = 0
-  local is_dir = node_cur.nodes ~= nil
-  while is_dir and i < MAX_DEPTH do
-    expand_node(node_cur)
+  local dir_cur = node_cur:as(DirectoryNode)
+  while dir_cur and i < MAX_DEPTH do
+    expand_node(dir_cur)
 
     move(explorer, "next", what, skip_gitignored)
 
     -- Save current node.
     node_cur = explorer:get_node_at_cursor()
-    -- Update is_dir.
-    if node_cur then
-      is_dir = node_cur.nodes ~= nil
-    else
-      is_dir = false
-    end
+    dir_cur = node_cur and node_cur:as(DirectoryNode)
 
     i = i + 1
   end
@@ -187,8 +182,10 @@ local function move_prev_recursive(explorer, what, skip_gitignored)
       end
 
       -- 4.2)
-      local node_dir = node_cur
-      expand_node(node_dir)
+      local node_dir = node_cur:as(DirectoryNode)
+      if node_dir then
+        expand_node(node_dir)
+      end
 
       -- 4.3)
       if node_init.name == ".." then -- root node
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/node/open-file.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/node/open-file.lua
index 3e5a697a..25c74451 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/node/open-file.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/node/open-file.lua
@@ -331,9 +331,9 @@ local function open_in_new_window(filename, mode)
 
   local fname
   if M.relative_path then
-    fname = vim.fn.fnameescape(utils.path_relative(filename, vim.fn.getcwd()))
+    fname = utils.escape_special_chars(vim.fn.fnameescape(utils.path_relative(filename, vim.fn.getcwd())))
   else
-    fname = vim.fn.fnameescape(filename)
+    fname = utils.escape_special_chars(vim.fn.fnameescape(filename))
   end
 
   local command
@@ -370,28 +370,27 @@ end
 ---@param mode string
 ---@param filename string
 function M.fn(mode, filename)
-  local fname = utils.escape_special_chars(filename)
   if type(mode) ~= "string" then
     mode = ""
   end
 
   if mode == "tabnew" then
-    return open_file_in_tab(fname)
+    return open_file_in_tab(filename)
   end
 
   if mode == "drop" then
-    return drop(fname)
+    return drop(filename)
   end
 
   if mode == "tab_drop" then
-    return tab_drop(fname)
+    return tab_drop(filename)
   end
 
   if mode == "edit_in_place" then
-    return edit_in_current_buf(fname)
+    return edit_in_current_buf(filename)
   end
 
-  local buf_loaded = is_already_loaded(fname)
+  local buf_loaded = is_already_loaded(filename)
 
   local found_win = utils.get_win_buf_from_path(filename)
   if found_win and (mode == "preview" or mode == "preview_no_picker") then
@@ -399,7 +398,7 @@ function M.fn(mode, filename)
   end
 
   if not found_win then
-    open_in_new_window(fname, mode)
+    open_in_new_window(filename, mode)
   else
     vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(found_win)
     vim.bo.bufhidden = ""
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
index 8e6902e5..abd9d01e 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ end
 ---@param items_short string[]
 ---@param items_long string[]
 ---@param kind string|nil
----@param callback fun(item_short: string)
+---@param callback fun(item_short: string|nil)
 function M.prompt(prompt_input, prompt_select, items_short, items_long, kind, callback)
   local function format_item(short)
     for i, s in ipairs(items_short) do
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
index a2af3afe..5b7f7b1a 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@ local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
 
 local Class = require("nvim-tree.class")
 
----TODO #2886
----TODO remove all @cast
----TODO remove all references to directory fields:
-
 ---Abstract Node class.
 ---Uses the abstract factory pattern to instantiate child instances.
 ---@class (exact) Node: Class
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
index b48e989b..936982ec 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
@@ -59,6 +59,17 @@ function M.path_basename(path)
   return path:sub(i + 1, #path)
 end
 
+--- Check if there are parentheses before brackets, it causes problems for windows.
+--- Refer to issue #2862 and #2961 for more details.
+local function has_parentheses_and_brackets(path)
+  local _, i_parentheses = path:find("(", 1, true)
+  local _, i_brackets = path:find("[", 1, true)
+  if i_parentheses and i_brackets then
+    return true
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
 --- Get a path relative to another path.
 ---@param path string
 ---@param relative_to string|nil
@@ -68,13 +79,18 @@ function M.path_relative(path, relative_to)
     return path
   end
 
-  local _, r = path:find(M.path_add_trailing(relative_to), 1, true)
-  local p = path
+  local norm_path = path
+  if M.is_windows and has_parentheses_and_brackets(path) then
+    norm_path = path:gsub("/", "\\")
+  end
+
+  local _, r = norm_path:find(M.path_add_trailing(relative_to), 1, true)
+  local p = norm_path
   if r then
     -- take the relative path starting after '/'
     -- if somehow given a completely matching path,
     -- returns ""
-    p = path:sub(r + 1)
+    p = norm_path:sub(r + 1)
   end
   return p
 end
@@ -272,6 +288,14 @@ function M.canonical_path(path)
   return path
 end
 
+--- Escapes special characters in string for windows, refer to issue #2862 and #2961 for more details.
+local function escape_special_char_for_windows(path)
+  if has_parentheses_and_brackets(path) then
+    return path:gsub("\\", "/"):gsub("/ ", "\\ ")
+  end
+  return path:gsub("%(", "\\("):gsub("%)", "\\)")
+end
+
 --- Escapes special characters in string if windows else returns unmodified string.
 ---@param path string
 ---@return string|nil
@@ -279,7 +303,7 @@ function M.escape_special_chars(path)
   if path == nil then
     return path
   end
-  return M.is_windows and path:gsub("\\", "/") or path
+  return M.is_windows and escape_special_char_for_windows(path) or path
 end
 
 --- Create empty sub-tables if not present