Before running this
This is a reference for Bash; commands do not run on this page. Use the matching shell on your own computer. Read the example, expected result and notes before trying it. New to terminals? Start with the shell basics.
Syntax
UPPERCASE words are placeholders to replace. Brackets in the syntax line describe optional arguments; do not type those brackets literally.
ls [OPTIONS] [PATH]Example
ls -lah .Expected result
A long listing including hidden names, with human-readable sizes on GNU ls.
Notes and traps
Do not parse ls output in scripts. Filenames can include spaces and newlines.
Related commands
Related tasks may need different flags and have different semantics. Check the entry before translating a command between shells.
Official reference ↗Updated 13 September 2026. Examples describe the expected behavior; not every platform is available for execution testing.