ls: List Files

Now that you know where you are with pwd, the next question is: what is here?

The ls command (short for list) shows you the files and folders inside your current directory.

ls

If the folder contains a few items, it might print:

mission.txt  reports  tools

Each name is either a file (like mission.txt) or a folder / directory (like reports and tools). With the plain ls command they can look similar. In a later lesson you will learn how to tell them apart at a glance.

You can also list the contents of a folder without going into it by giving its name to ls:

ls reports

january.log  february.log

This peeks inside reports while you stay where you are.

Like pwd, ls only looks. It never changes or deletes anything. It is safe to run any time you feel lost.

A useful habit: run ls whenever you arrive in a new directory, so you always know what you are working with.

Mission: Inventory Check

The previous crew left behind files and folders in your home directory, and one of those folders holds their old reports. Before you can start your shift, you need to know what you are working with.

1. Confirm where you are in the filesystem.
2. List everything in your current directory to see what the previous crew left behind.
3. Peek inside the reports folder without entering it.

Expected result

You confirm you are in /home/student, the listing reveals what the previous crew left behind, and looking inside reports shows the report logs stored in that folder.