Linux tree Command Manual
Overview​
tree is a recursive directory listing command that produces a depth-indented listing of files and directories in a tree-like format.
Installation​
On Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install tree
On Red Hat/Fedora/CentOS:
sudo dnf install tree
On Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S tree
Basic Usage​
tree [options] [directory]
If no directory is specified, the current directory is used.
Common Options​
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-a | All files are listed (including hidden files) |
-d | List directories only |
-L n | Limit display to n levels deep |
-f | Print full path prefix for each file |
-i | Don't print indentation lines |
-p | Print file type and permissions |
-s | Print size of each file |
-h | Print size in human-readable format |
-u | Print file owner |
-g | Print file group |
-D | Print last modification date |
--dirsfirst | List directories before files |
-C | Add color to output |
-J | Output in JSON format |
-X | Output in XML format |
-H TITLE | Output in HTML format with TITLE |
--noreport | Don't print file/directory report at end |
-o FILE | Output to FILE instead of stdout |
Examples​
Basic directory listing​
tree
List directories only, 2 levels deep​
tree -d -L 2
List with full path names​
tree -f
List with permissions and size​
tree -p -s -h
List with color and show directories first​
tree -C --dirsfirst
Generate HTML output​
tree -H "My Directory Listing" -o listing.html
Exit Status​
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Success |
| 1 | Minor problem (e.g., cannot stat a file) |
| 2 | Major problem (e.g., cannot open directory) |
Environment Variables​
LS_COLORS: Determines colors used for coloring output when-Cis used
Files​
/etc/DIR_COLORS: Configuration for default color scheme
Author​
The original tree command was written by Steve Baker.
See Also​
find(1)ls(1)du(1)