ls -a option flag lists all files including hidden files starting with '.'
Syntax
$ ls -a [options] [file|dir]
Examples
ls: default list:
$ ls Desktop Downloads Pictures Templates Videos Documents Music Public todo.txt $
ls -a: list with hidden files/directories:
$ ls -a . Desktop .gnome2 Music .shotwell ..
Documents .gstreamer-0.10 .nautilus Templates .bash_logout Downloads .gtk-bookmarks Pictures .thumbnails .bashrc .esd_auth
.gvfs .profile todo.txt .cache .fontconfig .ICEauthority Public
Videos .config .gconf .libreoffice .pulse .xsession-errors .dbus .gconfd
.local .pulse-cookie $
ls -la: long listing format with hidden files:
$ ls -la total 40 drwxr-xr-x 25 user user 680 2011-08-17 18:07 . drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 60 2011-08-17 16:19 .. -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 220 2011-08-17 16:19 .bash_logout -rw-r--r--
1 user user 3353 2011-08-17 16:19 .bashrc drwx------ 7 user user 220 2011-08-17 17:58 .cache drwx------ 9 user user 220 2011-08-17 18:02 .config drwx------ 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 16:19
.dbus drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 80 2011-08-17 16:52 Desktop drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Documents drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Downloads -rw-------
1 user user 16 2011-08-17 16:20 .esd_auth drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 100 2011-08-17 17:56 .fontconfig drwx------ 4 user user 80 2011-08-17 16:52 .gconf drwx------ 2 user user
60 2011-08-17 18:14 .gconfd drwx------ 5 user user 100 2011-08-17 16:52 .gnome2 drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 60 2011-08-17 17:58 .gstreamer-0.10 -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 142 2011-08-17 16:52 .gtk-bookmarks dr-x------ 2 user user 0 2011-08-17 16:52 .gvfs -rw------- 1 user user 318 2011-08-17 16:52 .ICEauthority drwxr-xr-x 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 17:56 .libreoffice drwxr-xr-x
3 user user 60 2011-08-17 16:52 .local drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Music drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 .nautilus drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 120 2011-08-17
18:14 Pictures -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 675 2011-08-17 16:19 .profile drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Public drwx------ 2 user user 160 2011-08-17 16:20 .pulse -rw-------
1 user user 256 2011-08-17 16:20 .pulse-cookie drwxr-xr-x 5 user user 100 2011-08-17 17:58 .shotwell drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Templates drwx------ 3 user user
60 2011-08-17 18:02 .thumbnails -rw-r--r-- 1 user user 131 2011-08-17 18:07 todo.txt drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Videos -rw------- 1 user user 8030 2011-08-17 18:16 .xsession-errors $