How do I list files recursively using the ls command in Linux?
Published on Aug. 22, 2023, 12:17 p.m.
To list files recursively using the ls
command in Linux, you can use the -R
option. This option tells ls
to list the contents of all subdirectories recursively. Here is an example command:
ls -R
This command will list all files and directories in the current directory and its subdirectories, with the subdirectory contents listed underneath each subdirectory name.
Keep in mind that the ls
command is not the most efficient tool for listing files recursively, as it can be slow and may not handle certain types of file names or special file types. A better option is to use the find
command, which is specifically designed for searching and listing files in complex directory trees. Here is an example command using find
to list all files recursively:
find . -type f
This command will find all files (excluding directories and other special file types) in the current directory and its subdirectories recursively.
Remember that recursive listing of files and directories can produce a large amount of output and may take a long time to complete, especially on large directory structures. To limit the output or search to specific files or directories, you can use additional options and filters with the ls
or find
commands.