ls Command in Unix and Linux Examples

ls is the most widely used command in unix or linux. ls command is used to list the contents of a directory. Learn the power of ls command to make your life easy. The syntax of ls command is

ls [options] [pathnames]

1. Write a unix/linux ls command to display the hidden files and directories?

To display the hidden files and directories in the current directory use the -a option of the ls command.

> ls -a
.  ..  documents  .hidden_file  sum.pl

Hidden files are the one whose name starts with dot (.). The las -a displays the current directory (.) and parent directory (..) also. If you want to exclude the current directory, parent directory, then use -A option.

> ls -A
documents  .hidden_file  sum.pl

2. Write a unix/linux ls command to classify the files with special characters

The -F option to ls command classifies the files. It marks the

◈ Directories with trailing slash (/)
◈ Executable files with trailing asterisk (*)
◈ FIFOs with trailing vertical bar (|)
◈ Symbolic links with trailing at the rate sign (@)
◈ Regular files with nothing

> ls -F
documents/  sum.pl link@

3. Write a unix/linux ls command to print each file in a separate line?

The -1 option to the ls command specifies that each file should be displayed on a separate line

> ls -1
documents
sum.pl

4. Write a unix/linux ls command to display the inode number of file?

In some cases, you want to know the inode number of a file. Use -i option to the ls command to print the inode number of a file.

> ls -i1
10584066 documents
3482450 sum.pl

5. Write a unix/linux ls command to display complete information about the files?

The -l option provides lots of information about the file type, owner, group, permissions, file size, last modification date.

> ls -l
total 16
drwxr-xr-x 2 matt db 4096 Jan 30 23:08 documents
-rw-r--r-- 1 matt db   49 Jan 31 01:17 sum.pl

◈ The first character indicates the type of the file. - for normal file, d for directory, l for link file and s for socket file
◈ The next 9 characters in the first field represent the permissions. Each 3 characters refers the read (r), write (w), execute (x) permissions on owner, group and others. - means no permission.
◈ The second field indicates the number of links to that file.
◈ The third field indicates the owner name.
◈ The fourth field indicates the group name.
◈ The fifth field represents the file size in bytes.
◈ The sixth field represents the last modification date and time of the file.
◈ And finally the seventh field is the name of the file.

6. Write a unix/linux ls command to sort the files by their modification time?

The -t option allows the ls command to sort the files in descending order based on the modification time.

> ls -t1
sum.pl
documents

7. Write a unix/linux ls command to sort the files in ascending order of modification time?

The -r option reverses the order of the files displayed. Combine the -t and -r options to sort the files in ascending order.

> ls -rt1
documents
sum.pl

8. Write a unix/linux ls command to print the files recursively?

So far the ls command prints the files in the current directory. Use the -R option to recursively print the files in the sub-directories also.

> ls -R
.:
documents  sum.pl

./documents:
file.txt

9. Write a unix/linux ls command to print the files in a specific directory?

You can pass a directory to the ls command as an argument to print for the files in it.

> ls /usr/local/bin

10. Write a unix/linux ls command to display files in columns?

The -x option specifies the ls command to display the files in columns.

> ls -x