Master `ls` to inspect directories fast and confidently. 15.11.2025 | reading time: 2 min The `ls` command is the quickest way to list directory contents on Linux, and he will use it both interactively and inside scripts to inspect files, permissions and timestamps. Real example Scenario: he needs to check web logs; run `ls -lah /var/log/httpd` and expect lines like `drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4.0K Jun 01 12:00 .` and `-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1.2M Jun 01 12:01 error.log` which show mode, links, owner, group, human size and modification date all in a glance. Power tips Combine options to get different views: `-l` for long format, `-a` for hidden files, `-h` for human sizes, `-t` to sort by modification time and `-S` to sort by size; add `-i` to show inodes or `-F` to mark types; color output is controlled by the environment so use `--color=auto` or configure LS_COLORS for custom palettes. Nearby tools When `ls` is not enough, reach for `find` to search recursively with complex filters, `stat` to display a single file's full metadata, or `tree` to visualize nested directories; modern replacements like exa add nicer defaults and git-aware listings. Next steps Start practicing with real folders and pipelines, then level up by learning shell scripting patterns that parse `ls` output or, better, use `find` and `stat` programmatically; consider formalizing skills with CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1 and intensive exam preparation at bitsandbytes.academy. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. filesystem utilities scripting
