Quick Tip

Unmask Hidden Files Instantly with `ls -A`

Challenge: You need to quickly see all files and directories in a location, including those that are hidden (those starting with a dot ‘.’), without cluttering your view with ‘.’ and ‘..’ entries.

The Solution: Use the ls -A command.

ls -A

Why it works: The -A (or --almost-all) flag for ls displays all entries except for ‘.’ (current directory) and ‘..’ (parent directory). This is often more useful than ls -a which includes these special entries.

Pro-Tip: Combine it with other ls flags for even more information, like ls -Alh to see all files, including hidden ones, in a long listing format with human-readable sizes.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 6/28/2026