Master the Linux ‘ls’ Command: 20 Essential Options Explained

ls command overview

The ls utility lists files and directories. By default it displays the contents of the current directory, and a wide range of options allow you to customise the output for various tasks.

Basic usage

ls

Long listing format

ls -l

The long format shows several columns:

File type and permission bits

Number of hard links

Owner name

Group name

Size in bytes (directories are typically 4096 B)

Modification timestamp

File or directory name

Human‑readable sizes

ls -lh

The -h flag prints sizes using KiB, MiB, etc., making them easier to read.

Sort by size

ls -lhS

The -S option sorts entries from largest to smallest.

Specify block size

ls -l --block-size=M

Use --block-size=SIZE (e.g., M for megabytes) to change the unit used for the size column.

Show hidden files

ls -a

Files whose names start with a dot ( .) are hidden; -a reveals them.

List only directories

ls -d */

The -d flag prevents descending into directories and lists the directory entries themselves.

Omit owner information

ls -g

The -g option hides the owner column.

Omit group information

ls -lG

The capital G flag suppresses the group column.

Numeric UID/GID

ls -n

Print numeric user and group IDs instead of names.

Disable colour output

ls --color=never

Some distributions colourise the output; this option turns colour off.

Print inode numbers

ls -li

The -i flag displays each file’s inode number in the first column.

Append ‘/’ to directories

ls -p

The -p flag adds a trailing slash to directory names.

Reverse sort order

ls -r

Reverse the default sorting direction.

Recursive listing

ls -R

List sub‑directories recursively.

Sort by extension

ls -lX
ls --sort=extension

The -X or --sort=extension options order files by their suffix.

Sort by modification time

ls -lt

The -t flag sorts entries with the newest files first.

List the home directory

ls ~

The tilde ( ~) expands to the current user’s home directory.

List parent directories

ls ../
ls ../../

Use .. to refer to the parent directory; multiple components move up further levels.

Show version information

ls --version

Displays the version of the ls program.

For a complete reference, consult the manual pages with man ls or ls --help.