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Linux Directory Structure Tools

A collection of commands and tools for exploring and visualizing directory structures in Linux.

Tree Command

Displays directory structure in a tree-like format: 

sudo apt install tree -y

tree                     # Current directory
tree -L 2               # Limit to 2 levels
tree -d                 # Directories only
tree -h                 # Include file sizes

Example output: 

.
├── documents
│   ├── work
│   └── personal
├── downloads
└── pictures
    ├── 2023
    └── 2024

6 directories

List Command (ls)

Traditional directory listing: 

ls -R                   # Recursive listing
ls -la                  # Detailed list with hidden files
ls -lh                  # Human readable sizes

Example output: 

drwxr-xr-x 4 user user 4.0K Dec 22 10:30 documents
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4.0K Dec 22 10:30 downloads
drwxr-xr-x 4 user user 4.0K Dec 22 10:30 pictures

Find Command

Search and explore directories: 

find . -type d          # List all directories
find . -type f          # List all files
find . -maxdepth 2      # Limit search depth

Example output: 

.
./documents
./documents/work
./documents/personal
./downloads
./pictures
./pictures/2023
./pictures/2024

Advanced Usage: File Content Explorer

View directory structure with file contents: 

tree -if --noreport | while read file; do
    if [ -f "$file" ]; then
        echo "=== $file ==="
        cat "$file"
        echo
    fi
done

Example output: 

=== ./config.yml ===
server:
  port: 8080
  host: localhost

=== ./readme.md ===
# Project README
This is a sample project...

Common Options

  • -a: Show hidden files
  • -h: Human readable sizes
  • -L n: Limit depth to n levels
  • -d: Directories only
  • -f: Full path prefix

These tools are invaluable for system administration, documentation, and understanding directory hierarchies.