ls command in Linux: list directory contents

The ls command shows what is in a directory: its files and subdirectories.

Syntax

ls [options] [path]

With no arguments ls prints the current directory.

Common cases

ls            # the current directory
ls -l         # long format: permissions, owner, size, date
ls -a         # show hidden files too (names that start with a dot)
ls -lh        # human-readable sizes: K, M, G
ls -lt        # sort by time, newest first

How it works: what a hidden file is

Linux has no separate 'hidden' attribute. A file is hidden simply because its name starts with a dot, for example .bashrc. ls does not print those by default, while ls -a prints everything.

Try it

Open the sandbox: a real throwaway Linux terminal in your browser. Run the commands above by hand. The container is deleted when you leave, so there is nothing to be afraid of breaking.

Where this is in the book: the chapter The filesystem and moving around.