How to Use ls -la in Linux: List Files with Details

Use the ls -la command in Linux to list all files and directories, including hidden ones, with detailed information like permissions, owner, size, and modification date. The -l option shows details in a list format, and -a includes hidden files starting with a dot.

Syntax

The ls -la command combines two options:

• -l: Lists files in long format showing details like permissions, owner, size, and modification date.
• -a: Includes hidden files and directories (those starting with a dot).

Together, ls -la shows a detailed list of all files, including hidden ones.

bash

ls -la

Example

This example runs ls -la in a directory to show all files and folders with details, including hidden files.

bash

ls -la

Output

total 48
 drwxr-xr-x 6 user user 4096 Apr 26 10:00 .
 drwxr-xr-x 3 user user 4096 Apr 25 09:00 ..
 -rw-r--r-- 1 user user  220 Apr 25 09:00 .bash_logout
 -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 3771 Apr 25 09:00 .bashrc
 drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Apr 26 09:30 documents
 -rw-r--r-- 1 user user  807 Apr 25 09:00 .profile
 -rw-r--r-- 1 user user    0 Apr 26 10:00 notes.txt
 drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Apr 26 09:45 pictures

Common Pitfalls

Some common mistakes when using ls -la include:

• Forgetting the dash - before options, which can cause errors or unexpected behavior.
• Not understanding that hidden files start with a dot and are only shown with -a.
• Confusing ls -l (detailed list without hidden files) with ls -la (includes hidden files).

bash

ls la
ls -l
ls -a

Output

ls: cannot access 'la': No such file or directory
(total list without hidden files)
(list of hidden files only)

Quick Reference

Option	Description
-l	Show detailed list with permissions, owner, size, and date
-a	Include hidden files (those starting with a dot)
-la	Combine both: detailed list including hidden files

Key Takeaways

Use ls -la to see all files including hidden ones with detailed info.

The -l option shows file details; -a shows hidden files.

Always include the dash - before options to avoid errors.

Hidden files start with a dot and are not shown without -a.

Use ls -l to list details without hidden files if needed.