dir Command in Linux VPS

The dir command is a fundamental tool for exploring your computer’s filesystem. It allows you to list files and directories, providing valuable insights into your data organization.

The basic syntax of the dir command is as shown below:

# dir [OPTION] [FILE]

To view all files and directories in your current working directory, you can simply run the dir command without any options:

dir

Prerequisites to Use dir Command in Linux VPS

Provide the options below to let this tutorial work correctly and move on.

• A Server running Linux VPS.
• A non-root user with sudo privileges.

Practical Examples of Linux dir Command

The below examples help you to be an expert in Linux dir command usage.

1. List Files and Directories

To get a simple overview of a directory’s contents, use dir /path/to/directory. Replace /path/to/directory with the actual path you want to explore.

For example, running the below command will list all files and subdirectories within the /etc directory:

# dir /etc

By default, dir shows a single line for each entry.

To view a more detailed listing, including file permissions and owner information, use the -l flag.

If you prefer a cleaner output with each file or directory on a separate line, run:

dir -1 /etc

It provides a more comprehensive view of the /etc directory.

2. List Hidden Files and Directories

Hidden files are files prefixed with a dot (“.“) at the beginning of their names. They’re typically system configuration files or user-created files meant to be hidden from regular view.

dir -al /path/to/directory combines the -a flag (show all files) with the -l flag (long format).

This provides a detailed listing for each file, including permissions, owner, group, and size, alongside hidden files:

dir -a /path/to/directory
dir -al /path/to/directory

3. List Directory Entries

To focus solely on directory entries, excluding the actual content within directories, you can run:

dir -d /path/to/directory

The below command builds upon -d by adding the -l flag (long format). This provides a detailed view of directory entries, including permissions and owner information for each subdirectory:

dir -al /path/to/directory

4. List Index Number of Files

The inodes (index nodes) are unique identifiers assigned to each file on a Linux system.

They act like pointers, storing information about a file (like size, permissions, and ownership) but not the actual file content itself.

To display a listing with inodes in the first column, run:

dir -il /path/to/directory

This can help troubleshoot file permissions or ownership issues.

5. List Files based on Size

To view the size of each file in bytes by default, run:

dir -s /path/to/directory

The below command combines -s with -h (human-readable) to display file sizes in a more user-friendly format, such as kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB):

dir -sh /path/to/directory

To sort the directory listing by file size, with the largest files appearing first, use:

dir -S /path/to/directory

Remember to use -h for human-readable sizes when sorting.

Also, you can use the following command to sort the directory listing by modification time, with the most recently modified files appearing first.

dir -t /path/to/directory

This can be useful for finding files you’ve recently edited.

6. List Files Without Owners

You can exclude owner names from the directory listing while still showing all files using the below command:

dir -ahg /path/to/directory

This can be helpful when focusing on file permissions or file sizes without needing owner information.

The below command is similar to -ahg, but excludes group owner names instead:

dir -aG /path/to/directory

To view the owner, group, permissions, and author of each file in a detailed listing (using -l and –author), run:

dir -al --author /path/to/directory:

This can be useful for identifying who created a specific file.

7. List Directories Before Files

To prioritize the directories in the listing, you can use the command below:

dir -l --group-directories-first /path/to/directory

This displays all subdirectories before regular files, making it easier to visualize the directory structure.

The letter “d” before the permissions indicate a directory, while “a” represents a regular file.

Additionally, you can see subdirectories recursively. This means that by using the -R option, you can list every other subdirectory within a directory.

# dir -R

8. List Files with User and Group IDs

User and group IDs are numerical identifiers assigned to users and groups on a Linux system. They are used to controlling file permissions and ownership.

By default, dir displays usernames and group names. To display the numerical user and group IDs instead of their names, run:

dir -nl --author /path/to/directory

This can be useful for scripting purposes or when working with system configurations where user/group names might not be readily available.

9. List Files Separated by Commas

The below command uses the -m flag to output a comma-separated list of filenames within the specified directory.

This list can then be used in scripts or piped to other commands for further processing.

dir -am /path/to/directory

Help and Version Information:

The dir command also offers built-in help and version information for your reference.

To display the command’s help manual, providing detailed explanations for all available options and flags:

dir --help

To view the version information of the dir command you’re using, run:

dir --version

10. List Contents With Separate Colors

While dir doesn’t color directories by default (unlike ls), you can achieve visual separation with this command:

dir --color

This activates color coding, making directories stand out from files, and enhancing readability in your terminal listings.

11. List Contents with File Type Indicators

Check the below table, which shows how the dir command uses some special characters that indicate the content type.

For example, the -F or --classify option in dir adds a handy indicator to each filename, revealing its type at a glance:

dir -F /path/to/directory

This command will list your directory contents, with each filename accompanied by its corresponding type symbol, making it easier to distinguish between different file types.

12. List File Types Clearly

The --file-type option (same as -F) helps identify file types in your dir listings.

However, unlike -F, it avoids adding an asterisk (*) to executable filenames.

This provides a cleaner output without altering the actual file names:

dir --file-type /path/to/directory

This will display file types alongside their names, but executable names won’t have an asterisk appended.

13. List only Active Files

The -B or --ignore-backups option instructs the dir command to skip backup and list any files that end with a tilde (~). This streamlines your directory output, presenting only the primary files without the clutter of backups:

dir -B /path/to/your/directory

It helps enhance readability, reducing clutter, and focusing on primary files.

14. List Directories in your preferred Format

The --format=WORD option in the dir command empowers you to customize the layout of your directory listings.

It accepts various keywords (WORD) to achieve different formatting styles:

dir --format=long /path/to/directory

This command will list your directory contents with detailed information for each file.

15. List Directories Selectively

The --hide=PATTERN or --ignore=PATTERN option in the dir command empowers you to streamline your directory output by excluding specific files or groups of files that match a defined pattern.

This can be particularly useful when working with directories containing numerous files, and you only want to focus on relevant ones:

dir --hide=*.txt --hide=__* /path/to/directory

This command will list the contents of the directory, excluding all files with the .txt extension and any files whose names begin with double underscores (__).

16. List Directories Sorted

--sort=PARAMETER lets you arrange files according to various criteria.

Choose size (-S) for the largest first, time (-t) for the newest first, or extension (-X) to group by file type. Skip --sort and use flags directly: -S, -t, or -X.

dir --sort=PARAMETER /path/to/directory

This command empowers you to arrange files based on your preference.

17. List the Directories with a specified Format

# dir -x (across)
# dir -m (Commas)
# dir -x (Horizontal)
# dir -l (Long)
# dir -1 (Single-column)
# dir -l (Vebose)
# dir -c (Vertical)

That’s it! Remember, you can replace the example paths with your directories to tailor these commands to your specific needs.

To make use of numerous more options, view your system’s manual entry for the dir command using # man dir command.

dir command vs ls Command

Both dir and ls command list directory contents but with slight differences.

ls is the standard command in Unix-based systems like Linux and macOS, offering a more versatile feature set.

dir, often available on Linux, provides a simpler alternative with consistent output regardless of whether it’s displayed in the terminal or redirected elsewhere (like piping to another command).

If you’re new to Linux, dir might be easier to grasp initially, but ls offers more power and flexibility for experienced users.

Conclusion

By mastering Linux dir command functionalities, you can efficiently list files and directories, view detailed information like permissions and sizes, and explore directory structures.

From filtering specific details to sorting by modification time, dir command empowers you to manage your data with ease.