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The ls command

Lists the content of a folder. With no arguments, the current one.

Syntax

ls [opciones] [ruta]

Most useful options

-lLong listing: permissions, owner, size and date
-aAlso shows hidden files
-hHuman-readable sizes (K, M, G)
-RRecurses into every folder

Copy-ready examples

$ lsThe current folder
$ ls -l DocumentosDetails of Documentos
$ ls -lahEverything, with details and readable sizes

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • By default it hides the dotfiles (those starting with a dot).

Related commands

cdtreestat

FAQ

Why can I not see a file I know exists?

It is almost certainly hidden: use ls -a.

How does ls -l differ from stat?

ls -l summarises; stat gives all the technical data.

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