ApiDemos™Linux ls command: lists directory and file information.
Linux ls command Function Description
The ls command, short for list, is used to display a list of targets and is a highly used command in Linux. ls command output can be colored and highlighted to partition different types of files.
With the ls command, all subdirectories and files are listed for directories; for files, their filenames and other information requested are output.
Linux ls Command Syntax
ls [Option] [Directory|File]The meaning of each option in the command is shown in the table.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-a |
Displays all subdirectories and files in the specified directory, including hidden files |
-A |
Displays all subdirectories and files in the specified directory, including hidden files, but does not list . and ... |
-c |
Match-It: Sort by ctime and display ctime |
-d |
If the parameter is a directory, only the name of the directory is displayed, not the files and subdirectories under it |
-F |
Display file type |
-i |
The inode number of the file is displayed in the first column of output |
-l |
Displays file details in a long format |
-r |
Preserve the order when sorting |
-t |
Sort by modification time |
-s |
Displays the size of each file allocation in blocks |
-S |
Sort by file size |
Linux ls command Example
Commonly used ls commands
$ ls # List only the files visible in the current directory
$ ls -l # List the details of the files visible in the current directory
$ ls -hl # List details and display file size in readable size
$ ls -al # List the details of all files (including hidden)
$ ls --human-readable --size -1 -S --classify # Sort by file size
$ du -sh * | sort -h # Sort by file size (as above)Display a list of all files in the current directory, including hidden files
[root@localhost ~]# ls -a
. anaconda-ks.cfg .bash_logout .bashrc install.log .mysql_history satools .tcshrc .vimrc
.. .bash_history .bash_profile .cshrc install.log.syslog .rnd .ssh .viminfoOutput long format list
[root@localhost ~]# ls -1
anaconda-ks.cfg
install.log
install.log.syslog
satoolsDisplay the inode information of the file
An index inode is a special concept in Linux where two texts with the same index node number are essentially the same file (except for the difference in filename).
[root@localhost ~]# ls -i -l anaconda-ks.cfg install.log
2345481 -rw------- 1 root root 859 Jun 11 22:49 anaconda-ks.cfg
2345474 -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 13837 Jun 11 22:49 install.logHorizontal output file list
[root@localhost /]# ls -m
bin, boot, data, dev, etc, home, lib, lost+found, media, misc, mnt, opt, proc, root, sbin, selinux, srv, sys, tmp, usr, varModify the last edited file
The most recently modified files are displayed at the top.
[root@localhost /]# ls -t
tmp root etc dev lib boot sys proc data home bin sbin usr var lost+found media mnt opt selinux srv miscShow recursive files
[root@localhost ~]# ls -R
.:
anaconda-ks.cfg install.log install.log.syslog satools
./satools:
black.txt freemem.sh iptables.sh lnmp.sh mysql php502_check.sh ssh_safe.shPrint the UID and GID of the file
[root@localhost /]# ls -n
total 254
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 Jun 12 04:03 bin
drwxr-xr-x 4 0 0 1024 Jun 15 14:45 boot
drwxr-xr-x 6 0 0 4096 Jun 12 10:26 data
drwxr-xr-x 10 0 0 3520 Sep 26 15:38 dev
drwxr-xr-x 75 0 0 4096 Oct 16 04:02 etc
drwxr-xr-x 4 0 0 4096 Jun 12 10:26 home
drwxr-xr-x 14 0 0 12288 Jun 16 04:02 lib
drwx------ 2 0 0 16384 Jun 11 22:46 lost+found
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 May 11 2011 media
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 Nov 8 2010 misc
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 May 11 2011 mnt
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 May 11 2011 opt
dr-xr-xr-x 232 0 0 0 Jun 15 11:04 proc
drwxr-x--- 4 0 0 4096 Oct 15 14:43 root
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 12288 Jun 12 04:03 sbin
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 May 11 2011 selinux
drwxr-xr-x 2 0 0 4096 May 11 2011 srv
drwxr-xr-x 11 0 0 0 Jun 15 11:04 sys
drwxrwxrwt 3 0 0 98304 Oct 16 08:45 tmp
drwxr-xr-x 13 0 0 4096 Jun 11 23:38 usr
drwxr-xr-x 19 0 0 4096 Jun 11 23:38 varList the details of files and folders
[root@localhost /]# ls -l
total 254
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jun 12 04:03 bin
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 1024 Jun 15 14:45 boot
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 data
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 3520 Sep 26 15:38 dev
drwxr-xr-x 75 root root 4096 Oct 16 04:02 etc
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 home
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 12288 Jun 16 04:02 lib
drwx------ 2 root root 16384 Jun 11 22:46 lost+found
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 media
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 8 2010 misc
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 mnt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 opt
dr-xr-xr-x 232 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 proc
drwxr-x--- 4 root root 4096 Oct 15 14:43 root
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 12288 Jun 12 04:03 sbin
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 selinux
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 srv
drwxr-xr-x 11 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 sys
drwxrwxrwt 3 root root 98304 Oct 16 08:48 tmp
drwxr-xr-x 13 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 usr
drwxr-xr-x 19 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 varList readable files and folder details
ls -lhOutput:
Show folder information
[root@localhost /]# ls -ld /etc/
drwxr-xr-x 75 root root 4096 Oct 16 04:02 /etc/List file and folder details by time
[root@localhost /]# ls -lt
total 254
drwxrwxrwt 3 root root 98304 Oct 16 08:53 tmp
drwxr-xr-x 75 root root 4096 Oct 16 04:02 etc
drwxr-x--- 4 root root 4096 Oct 15 14:43 root
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 3520 Sep 26 15:38 dev
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 12288 Jun 16 04:02 lib
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 1024 Jun 15 14:45 boot
drwxr-xr-x 11 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 sys
dr-xr-xr-x 232 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 proc
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 data
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 home
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jun 12 04:03 bin
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 12288 Jun 12 04:03 sbin
drwxr-xr-x 13 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 usr
drwxr-xr-x 19 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 var
drwx------ 2 root root 16384 Jun 11 22:46 lost+found
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 media
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 mnt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 opt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 selinux
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 srv
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 8 2010 miscList file and folder details by modification time
[root@localhost /]# ls -ltr
total 254
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 8 2010 misc
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 srv
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 selinux
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 opt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 mnt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 May 11 2011 media
drwx------ 2 root root 16384 Jun 11 22:46 lost+found
drwxr-xr-x 19 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 var
drwxr-xr-x 13 root root 4096 Jun 11 23:38 usr
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 12288 Jun 12 04:03 sbin
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jun 12 04:03 bin
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 home
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jun 12 10:26 data
dr-xr-xr-x 232 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 proc
drwxr-xr-x 11 root root 0 Jun 15 11:04 sys
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 1024 Jun 15 14:45 boot
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 12288 Jun 16 04:02 lib
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 3520 Sep 26 15:38 dev
drwxr-x--- 4 root root 4096 Oct 15 14:43 root
drwxr-xr-x 75 root root 4096 Oct 16 04:02 etc
drwxrwxrwt 3 root root 98304 Oct 16 08:54 tmpSorting files by special characters
[root@localhost nginx-1.2.1]# ls -F
auto/ CHANGES CHANGES.ru conf/ configure* contrib/ html/ LICENSE Makefile man/ objs/ README src/List files and mark color categories
[root@localhost nginx-1.2.1]# ls --color=auto
auto CHANGES CHANGES.ru conf configure contrib html LICENSE Makefile man objs README src