To list the files and directories stored in the current directory. Use the following command −
$ls
Here is the sample output of the above command −
$ls bin hosts lib res.03 ch07 hw1 pub test_results ch07.bak hw2 res.01 users docs hw3 res.02 work
The command ls supports the -l option which would help you to get more information about the listed files −
$ls -l total 1962188 drwxrwxr-x 2 amrood amrood 4096 Dec 25 09:59 uml -rw-rw-r-- 1 amrood amrood 5341 Dec 25 08:38 uml.jpg drwxr-xr-x 2 amrood amrood 4096 Feb 15 2006 univ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Dec 9 2007 urlspedia -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 276480 Dec 9 2007 urlspedia.tar drwxr-xr-x 8 root root 4096 Nov 25 2007 usr drwxr-xr-x 2 200 300 4096 Nov 25 2007 webthumb-1.01 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3192 Nov 25 2007 webthumb.php -rw-rw-r-- 1 amrood amrood 20480 Nov 25 2007 webthumb.tar -rw-rw-r-- 1 amrood amrood 5654 Aug 9 2007 yourfile.mid -rw-rw-r-- 1 amrood amrood 166255 Aug 9 2007 yourfile.swf drwxr-xr-x 11 amrood amrood 4096 May 29 2007 zlib-1.2.3 $
Here is the information about all the listed columns −
- First Column: represents file type and permission given on the file. Below is the description of all type of files.
- Second Column: represents the number of memory blocks taken by the file or directory.
- Third Column: represents owner of the file. This is the Unix user who created this file.
- Fourth Column: represents group of the owner. Every Unix user would have an associated group.
- Fifth Column: represents file size in bytes.
- Sixth Column: represents date and time when this file was created or modified last time.
- Seventh Column: represents file or directory name.
In the ls -l listing example, every file line began with a d, -, or l. These characters indicate the type of file that's listed.
| Prefix | Description |
|---|---|
| - | Regular file, such as an ASCII text file, binary executable, or hard link. |
| b | Block special file. Block input/output device file such as a physical hard drive. |
| c | Character special file. Raw input/output device file such as a physical hard drive |
| d | Directory file that contains a listing of other files and directories. |
| l | Symbolic link file. Links on any regular file. |
| p | Named pipe. A mechanism for interprocess communications |
| s | Socket used for interprocess communication. |
