Insight: Exploring the Linux tree Command for Ubuntu Newbies

Insight: Exploring the Linux tree Command for Ubuntu Newbies

In this tutorial let's explore a handy little tool called the tree command. It's like having a visual map of your computer's folders and files, presented in a neat, tree-like structure. Perfect for getting a quick overview without getting lost in endless file explorer windows.

What is the tree command?

Imagine looking at a family tree, but instead of relatives, you're seeing folders and the files within them. That's essentially what the tree command does. It starts at a directory you specify (or the current directory if you don't say otherwise) and then branches out, showing all the subdirectories and files nestled inside.

Installing tree on Ubuntu

Now, you might be wondering if this magical tree-drawing tool is already on your Ubuntu system. It's often included, but if it's not, don't worry – installing it is a breeze! Just open your terminal (you can usually do this by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T) and type this command:

Bash

sudo apt update sudo apt install tree   

The first command, sudo apt update, refreshes the list of available software. The second command, sudo apt install tree, then downloads and installs the tree utility. You'll probably be asked for your password – just type it in and press Enter.

Basic Usage: Seeing the Forest (or Folder)

Once installed, using the tree command is straightforward. If you simply type tree in your terminal and press Enter, it will display the contents of your current directory.

Bash

tree   

You'll see something like this (the actual output will depend on the files and folders in your current location):

Bash

~
├── Documents
│   └── my_important_file.txt
├── Downloads
│   └── cool_program.deb
├── Pictures
└── Videos
    └── cat_video.mp4

4 directories, 2 files   

See how it visually represents the folders and files? The tilde ~ at the top represents your current working directory.

Peeking Deeper: Controlling the Levels

Sometimes, you don't need to see every single file and folder, especially if you're in a deeply nested directory. The -L flag lets you specify how many levels of subdirectories you want to see.

For example, to see only the first level of subdirectories within your current location, you'd use:

Bash

tree   

The output might look like this:

Bash

.
├── Documents
├── Downloads
├── Pictures
└── Videos

4 directories, 0 files 

Notice how it only shows the immediate subfolders and not the files inside them. If you wanted to see two levels deep, you'd use tree -L 2, and so on.

Targeting Specific Trees: Specifying a Directory

You're not limited to just viewing the tree of your current directory. You can tell tree to start its visualization from any directory on your system by simply adding the directory path after the tree command.

For instance, to see the structure of your Documents folder, you'd type:

Bash

tree   

A Quick Look at Other Useful Flags

While we're keeping it high-level, here are a couple of other handy flags you might find useful, along with examples of what their output might look like based on our previous directory structure:

-d: This flag tells tree to only show directories, ignoring files.

Bash

tree -d  

Expected Output:

Bash

~
├── Documents
├── Downloads
├── Pictures
└── Videos

4 directories   

Notice how only the directory names are listed.

-f: This flag shows the full path prefix for each file and directory.

Bash

tree -f  

Expected Output:

Bash

/home/your_username  <-- Assuming your home directory is the current directory
├── /home/your_username/Documents
│   └── /home/your_username/Documents/my_important_file.txt
├── /home/your_username/Downloads
│   └── /home/your_username/Downloads/cool_program.deb
├── /home/your_username/Pictures
└── /home/your_username/Videos
    └── /home/your_username/Videos/cat_video.mp4

4 directories, 2 files   

Here, you can see the complete path to each item. Remember to replace your_username with your actual username.

Wrapping Up

The tree command is a simple yet powerful tool for quickly visualizing the structure of your directories in Linux. Whether you're a complete newbie trying to understand the layout of your system or just need a quick overview, tree can be a real time-saver. So go ahead, give it a try in your terminal! You might be surprised at how insightful this little command can be. Happy exploring!

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Written by Aaron Rose, software engineer and technology writer at Tech-Reader.blog.