What does the ls command do in Linux

  • Last update: Apr 3, 2024
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What does the ls command do in Linux

Hello colleagues.

In today's article, we will talk about what the ls command is for in Linux.

In the world of operating systems of the Linux family, there is a rich arsenal of commands for managing files and directories. One of the most widely used and useful commands is ls. The ls command allows you to view the contents of directories, display information about files and directories, and perform various operations on them.

ls is a command line command on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. Its main purpose is to display a list of files and subdirectories in the specified directory. The ls command allows the user to quickly get an overview of the file structure, view file attributes, and verify that the correct files are present.


 

ls command options.

-l : Long output format. Shows detailed information about files such as permissions, owner, group, size, creation date and file name.

-a : Display all files, including hidden files (files whose name starts with a dot).

-R : List directory contents recursively.

-t : Sort files by last modified time.

-S : Sort files by size.

-r : Output files in reverse order.

-h : Human readable output format for file sizes.


 

Command examples.

1. Display the contents of the current directory:

$. ls

 

2. Display the contents of the specified directory in long format:

$. ls -l /path/to/directory

 

3. Display all files, including hidden ones:

$. ls -a

 

4. Recursively view the contents of subdirectories:

$. ls -R

 

5. Sort files by last modified time:

$. ls -t

 

6. Sort files by size:

$. ls -S

 

7. Output files in reverse order:

$. ls -r


 

The ls command is a powerful tool for working with files and directories in the Linux operating system. Its convenience and efficiency make it an essential part of any Linux user's workflow. Thanks to a variety of options, the ls command can adapt to different user needs and provide information about the file structure of the system in a convenient format.

Thank you all, I hope my article was of some help to you.

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