How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive understanding of the Linux file system structure, guiding you through the process of navigating directories and listing files and folders on your Linux operating system. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a solid grasp of the file system organization and the essential commands to efficiently manage your files and directories.

Skills Graph

%%%%{init: {'theme':'neutral'}}%%%% flowchart RL linux(("`Linux`")) -.-> linux/FileandDirectoryManagementGroup(["`File and Directory Management`"]) linux(("`Linux`")) -.-> linux/BasicFileOperationsGroup(["`Basic File Operations`"]) linux/FileandDirectoryManagementGroup -.-> linux/cd("`Directory Changing`") linux/FileandDirectoryManagementGroup -.-> linux/pwd("`Directory Displaying`") linux/FileandDirectoryManagementGroup -.-> linux/mkdir("`Directory Creating`") linux/BasicFileOperationsGroup -.-> linux/ls("`Content Listing`") linux/FileandDirectoryManagementGroup -.-> linux/wildcard("`Wildcard Character`") subgraph Lab Skills linux/cd -.-> lab-415598{{"`How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux`"}} linux/pwd -.-> lab-415598{{"`How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux`"}} linux/mkdir -.-> lab-415598{{"`How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux`"}} linux/ls -.-> lab-415598{{"`How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux`"}} linux/wildcard -.-> lab-415598{{"`How to show only directories in the directory tree in Linux`"}} end

Understanding the Linux File System Structure

The Linux file system structure is a hierarchical organization of files and directories that provides a logical way to manage and access data on a Linux operating system. At the top of this hierarchy is the root directory, represented by the forward slash (/), which serves as the starting point for all file and directory paths.

The Linux file system is structured in a tree-like fashion, with the root directory as the trunk and various subdirectories branching out from it. Each subdirectory can contain files, as well as additional subdirectories, creating a nested structure.

graph TD A[/] --> B[/bin] A --> C[/boot] A --> D[/dev] A --> E[/etc] A --> F[/home] A --> G[/lib] A --> H[/media] A --> I[/mnt] A --> J[/opt] A --> K[/proc] A --> L[/root] A --> M[/run] A --> N[/sbin] A --> O[/srv] A --> P[/sys] A --> Q[/tmp] A --> R[/usr] A --> S[/var]

Some of the essential directories in the Linux file system structure include:

Directory	Description
`/bin`	Contains essential user binaries (executable files)
`/etc`	Stores system configuration files
`/home`	Holds user home directories
`/lib`	Contains shared libraries required by system programs
`/opt`	Intended for third-party software installations
`/tmp`	Temporary directory for storing files
`/usr`	Contains user-related programs and files
`/var`	Stores variable data, such as logs and spool files

Understanding the Linux file system structure is crucial for navigating the system, managing files and directories, and interacting with the operating system effectively. By familiarizing yourself with the purpose and location of these essential directories, you can efficiently perform various tasks, such as installing software, accessing configuration files, and troubleshooting system issues.

Navigating the Linux File System

Navigating the Linux file system is a fundamental skill for any Linux user or administrator. The primary tool for navigating the file system is the cd (change directory) command, which allows you to move between directories.

To change the current working directory, you can use the cd command followed by the path to the desired directory. For example, to change to the /home/username directory, you would run:

cd /home/username

You can also use relative paths to navigate the file system. Relative paths are based on the current working directory, rather than the absolute path from the root directory. For example, if you are currently in the /home/username directory and want to navigate to the Documents subdirectory, you can use the relative path:

cd Documents

The Linux file system also supports some special directory names:

. (dot) refers to the current directory
.. (dot dot) refers to the parent directory

Using these special directories, you can navigate the file system more efficiently. For example, to move up one directory, you can use:

cd ..

To move back to the root directory, you can use:

cd /

Understanding how to navigate the Linux file system using absolute and relative paths, as well as the special directory names, will allow you to efficiently move between directories and perform various file management tasks.

Listing Files and Directories in Linux

Listing the contents of directories is a common task in Linux. The primary command for this purpose is the ls (list) command, which allows you to view the files and directories within the current working directory or a specified directory.

To list the contents of the current directory, simply run the ls command:

ls

This will display a list of all files and directories in the current directory.

You can also list the contents of a specific directory by providing the directory path as an argument to the ls command:

ls /home/username/Documents

This will list the contents of the /home/username/Documents directory.

The ls command offers various options to customize the output, such as:

ls -l: Displays detailed information about each file and directory, including permissions, owner, group, size, and modification time.
ls -a: Lists all files, including hidden files (files starting with a dot).
ls -d: Lists only directories, not their contents.
ls -R: Recursively lists the contents of all subdirectories.

You can combine these options to achieve the desired output. For example, to list all files and directories, including hidden ones, in a long format, you can use:

ls -la

Understanding how to effectively use the ls command to list files and directories is crucial for navigating and managing the Linux file system. By leveraging the various options and combining them as needed, you can quickly and efficiently explore the contents of your Linux system.

Summary

The Linux file system follows a hierarchical structure, with the root directory at the top and various subdirectories branching out. Understanding this structure is crucial for effectively navigating and managing files and directories on your Linux system. In this tutorial, you learned about the essential directories in the Linux file system, how to navigate through the directories using commands like cd and ls, and how to list files and folders. With this knowledge, you can now confidently interact with the Linux file system and perform various file-related tasks to streamline your workflow.