list only directories in linux with code examples

Listing Directories in Linux with Code Examples

In Linux, directories are essential components that help organize and structure the file system. Directories can contain files, other directories, and symbolic links, making it easier to manage and locate files. This article will demonstrate how to list directories in Linux using various commands and code examples.

1. ls Command
   The ls command is the most commonly used command to list directories in Linux. By default, the ls command lists the contents of the current working directory. To list the directories in the current directory, use the following code:

ls -l | grep "^d"

The -l option is used to list the files and directories in a long format, which includes permissions, user, group, size, date, and time. The grep command is used to filter the output of the ls command, and the ^d argument tells grep to display only lines that begin with the letter "d". The "d" indicates that the item is a directory.

Here is an example of the output:

drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Feb 5 11:24 Documents
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Feb 5 11:24 Pictures
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Feb 5 11:24 Music

2. find Command
   The find command is another useful tool for listing directories in Linux. It is a powerful command that can search for files and directories based on specific criteria. To list directories in the current directory, use the following code:

find . -type d

The . argument is the starting directory, and the -type d option specifies that only directories should be listed. The find command will list all the directories, including subdirectories, in the current directory.

Here is an example of the output:

./Documents
./Pictures
./Music
./Videos
./Downloads

3. tree Command
   The tree command is a great tool for visualizing the structure of a directory. It displays the contents of a directory in a tree-like format, making it easier to see the relationships between directories and files. To list the directories in the current directory, use the following code:

tree -d

The -d option tells tree to only display directories, and not the files.

Here is an example of the output:

.
├── Documents
├── Pictures
├── Music
├── Videos
└── Downloads

4. ls -R Command
   The ls -R command can be used to recursively list the contents of a directory, including subdirectories. To list the directories in the current directory, use the following code:

ls -R | grep ":$" | awk -F: '{print $1}'

The ls -R command lists the contents of the current directory and all its subdirectories. The grep command filters the output of ls -R to show only lines that end with a colon (:), which indicates the start of a new directory. The awk command is used to extract the name of the directory from the output of grep.

Here is an example of the output:

“
Adjacent Topics to Listing Directories in Linux

1. Listing Files in Linux
   Listing files in Linux can be accomplished using the same commands that are used to list directories. To list the files in the current directory, use the ls command without any options:

ls

Alternatively, you can use the find command to list files, using the following code:

find . -type f

The -type f option specifies that only files should be listed, not directories.

2. Permissions in Linux
   Permissions in Linux determine who can access and modify files and directories. Each file and directory has permissions for the owner, group, and others. There are three types of permissions in Linux: read, write, and execute. The ls command with the -l option can be used to view the permissions of files and directories.

ls -l

3. Creating Directories in Linux
   In Linux, you can create directories using the mkdir command. To create a directory, use the following code:

mkdir directory_name

Replace directory_name with the name of the directory you want to create.

4. Deleting Directories in Linux
   To delete a directory in Linux, use the rmdir command. However, the rmdir command can only delete empty directories. To delete a directory that is not empty, use the rm command with the -r option:

rm -r directory_name

Replace directory_name with the name of the directory you want to delete. Be careful when using the rm command, as it permanently deletes the files and directories, and there is no way to recover them.

In conclusion, these are some of the important adjacent topics to listing directories in Linux. Understanding how to list, create, and delete directories in Linux is essential for managing and organizing the file system.

Popular questions

1. How can I list only directories in Linux?
   You can list only directories in Linux by using the ls command with the -d option. The -d option displays only the directories, not the files in the current directory. The code for listing only directories is as follows:

ls -d */

2. Can I list only directories in a specific location?
   Yes, you can list only directories in a specific location by specifying the path to that location with the ls command. The code for listing only directories in a specific location is as follows:

ls -d /path/to/directory/*/

Replace /path/to/directory/ with the path to the directory you want to list.

3. How can I list only hidden directories in Linux?
   You can list only hidden directories in Linux by using the ls command with the -d and -a options. The -a option displays hidden files and directories. The code for listing only hidden directories is as follows:

ls -d .*/

4. How can I list only directories and exclude subdirectories in Linux?
   You can list only directories and exclude subdirectories in Linux by using the find command with the -mindepth and -type options. The -mindepth option specifies the minimum depth of the search, and the -type option specifies that only directories should be listed. The code for listing only directories and excluding subdirectories is as follows:

find . -mindepth 1 -type d -exec ls -d {} \;

5. How can I list only the first-level directories in Linux?
   You can list only the first-level directories in Linux by using the ls command with the -d option and a wildcard * that matches only one level of subdirectories. The code for listing only the first-level directories is as follows:

ls -d */

Tag

Directory-Listing.