What does 'ls' command do in Linux?

The ls command in Linux is used to list the contents of a directory. It displays files and subdirectories within the specified directory or the current directory if none is specified.

Basic Usage:

ls

This command will show the names of files and directories in the current working directory.

Common Options:

• -l: Long format. Displays detailed information, including permissions, owner, size, and modification date.

  ls -l
  

• -a: Shows all files, including hidden files (those starting with a dot).

  ls -a
  

• -h: Human-readable format. Used with -l to display file sizes in a more understandable format (e.g., KB, MB).

  ls -lh
  

• -R: Recursively lists all files and directories in the specified directory and its subdirectories.

  ls -R
  

Example:

To list all files, including hidden ones, in long format:

ls -la

The ls command is a fundamental tool for navigating and managing files in the Linux command line.