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ls Command - Cheat Sheet

The ls command is used to list files and directories in Linux. It provides various options to display additional information, sort output, and customize listings.

Basic Usage

ls [OPTIONS] [FILE...]
  • OPTIONS: Flags to modify the command's behavior.
  • FILE: Specific files or directories to list. Defaults to the current directory if omitted.

Common Options

Option Description
-l Long listing format with detailed information.
-a Show all files, including hidden files (starting with .).
-h Human-readable sizes (e.g., KB, MB, GB) when used with -l.
-R Recursively list subdirectories.
-t Sort files by modification time, newest first.
-S Sort files by size, largest first.
-i Display inode numbers for files and directories.
-d List directories themselves, not their contents.
-F Append indicator symbols to entries (/ for directories, etc.).
-1 Display one entry per line.
-r Reverse the order of the sort.
--color Colorize the output based on file type and permissions.
-A List all files except . and ...
-v Natural sort of version numbers.
-G Suppress group information in long listing.

Note:

You can combine options to refine output. For example, ls -lh shows a long listing with human-readable file sizes.

Examples

Here are some practical examples demonstrating how to use the ls command:

Example 1: Basic List

ls

Description: Lists files and directories in the current directory.

Example 2: Detailed List

ls -l

Description: Lists files with detailed information such as permissions, owner, size, and modification date.

Example 3: List Hidden Files

ls -a

Description: Lists all files, including hidden files, in the current directory.

Example 4: Human-Readable Sizes

ls -lh

Description: Lists files with sizes displayed in a human-readable format (e.g., KB, MB).

Example 5: Recursive Listing

ls -R

Description: Recursively lists all files and directories, including those in subdirectories.

Example 6: Sort by Time

ls -lt

Description: Lists files sorted by modification time, with the newest files first.

Example 7: Sort by Size

ls -lS

Description: Lists files sorted by size, with the largest files first.

Example 8: Display Inode Numbers

ls -i

Description: Lists files with their inode numbers, useful for identifying files in the filesystem.

Example 9: Directories Only

ls -d */

Description: Lists only directories in the current directory.

Example 10: Colorized Output

ls --color=auto

Description: Displays files with color-coded output for better readability.

Example 11: Reverse Order

ls -lr

Description: Lists files in reverse order, e.g., oldest files first if used with -t.

Example 12: One Entry per Line

ls -1

Description: Displays one file per line, useful for piping into other commands.

Exit Status

  • 0: Success
  • 1: Minor issues (e.g., a file was not found)
  • 2: Serious issues (e.g., command syntax error)

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference for the ls command, highlighting essential options and practical examples. Use it to efficiently navigate and manage files and directories in your Linux environment.