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10.1.3 Sorting the output ¶

These options change the order in which ls outputs information for the files in a directory. (Command-line operands are always processed left to right.) By default, files are sorted alphabetically by name, using the character collating sequence specified by the LC_COLLATE locale.

‘-c’ ¶

‘--time=ctime’

‘--time=status’

In long format, print the status change timestamp (the ctime) instead of the mtime. When sorting by time or when not using long format, sort according to the ctime. See File timestamps.

‘-f’ ¶

Do not sort, and list all files. This is like --sort=none (-U) combined with --all (-a).

‘--group-directories-first’ ¶

When listing a directory’s files, group all subdirectories before non-directories and then sort the subdirectories and the non-directories separately. That is, this option specifies a primary sort key, and the other sorting options specify a secondary key. However, any use of --sort=none (-U) disables this option altogether.

‘-r’ ¶

‘--reverse’

Reverse whatever the sorting method is – e.g., list files in reverse alphabetical order, youngest first, smallest first, or whatever. This option has no effect when --sort=none (-U) is in effect.

‘-S’ ¶

‘--sort=size’

Sort by file size, largest first.

‘-t’ ¶

‘--sort=time’

Sort by modification timestamp (mtime) by default, newest first. The timestamp to order by can be changed with the --time option. See File timestamps.

‘-u’ ¶

‘--time=atime’

‘--time=access’

‘--time=use’

In long format, print the last access timestamp (the atime). When sorting by time or when not using long format, sort according to the atime. See File timestamps.

‘--time=mtime’ ¶

‘--time=modification’

This is the default timestamp display and sorting mode. In long format, print the last data modification timestamp (the mtime). When sorting by time or when not using long format, sort according to the mtime. See File timestamps.

‘--time=birth’ ¶

‘--time=creation’

In long format, print the file creation timestamp if available, falling back to the file modification timestamp (mtime) if not. When sorting by time or when not using long format, sort according to the birth time. See File timestamps.

‘-U’ ¶

‘--sort=none’

Do not sort; list the files in whatever order they are stored in the directory. This can be useful when listing large directories, where sorting can take some time.

Unlike -f, this option does not imply --all (-a).

‘-v’ ¶

‘--sort=version’

Sort by version name and number, lowest first. It behaves like a default sort, except that each sequence of decimal digits is treated numerically as an index/version number. See Version sort ordering.

‘--sort=name’ ¶

Sort by file name. This is the default operation of ls, and can be explicitly specified to override any previously specified sorting option.

‘--sort=width’ ¶

Sort by printed width of file names. This can be useful with the --format=vertical (-C) output format, to most densely display the listed files.

‘-X’ ¶

‘--sort=extension’

Sort directory contents alphabetically by file extension (characters after the last ‘.’); files with no extension are sorted first.