ls-t: (Non-standard) List files by time

Overview

ls-t is a shorthand for 'ls -t', which sorts and displays file system entries by modification time in descending order (most recently modified files first). This is useful for quickly finding recently worked-on files or tracking changes in a specific directory. ls-t itself is not a built-in command, so users must set up an alias for it.

Key Features

Sort by modification time (newest first)
Quickly identify recently changed files
Can be combined with various ls command options

Installation

Since ls-t is not a built-in command, users need to set up a shell alias or create a script. The most common method is using a shell alias.

Setting up an Alias

To use ls-t in bash or zsh shells, add the following line to your shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc).

echo "alias ls-t='ls -t'" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Alias setup command

Explanation

The command above links the alias `ls-t` to the `ls -t` command. You can apply the changes immediately by running `source ~/.bashrc` or by opening a new terminal.

Usage Examples

ls-t behaves identically to 'ls -t' and can be used in combination with various ls options.

List files sorted by most recent modification

ls-t

Lists files in the current directory, sorted from the most recently modified to the oldest.

View in time order with detailed information

ls-t -l

Lists files in time order, including detailed information such as permissions, owner, and size.

View in time order with detailed information and human-readable sizes

ls-t -lh

Displays file sizes in KB, MB, etc., for better readability, along with detailed information and time order.

List files sorted by oldest first

ls-t -r

Reverses the default sorting order (newest first) to list files from oldest to newest.

List files including hidden files, sorted by time

ls-t -a

Lists hidden files and directories (starting with '.') along with other files, sorted by modification time.

Tips & Notes

Tips and notes for effectively using ls-t (i.e., ls -t).

Sorting Order

ls -t by default lists files from the most recently modified to the oldest. To view files from oldest to newest, use the `-r` (reverse) option.

Newest first (default): `ls-t`
Oldest first: `ls-t -r`

Directory Sorting

ls -t sorts both files and directories by their modification time. The modification time of a directory itself may differ from the modification times of its contents.

Other Time Criteria

Besides modification time, ls can also sort by access time (-u) or creation time (-U, on some systems). Utilize these options as needed.

Sort by access time: `ls -tu`
Sort by creation time (Linux): `ls -l --time=ctime`

Alias Management

Aliases are only applied to the current shell session. To use them permanently, you must add them to your shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc). If you use multiple shells, you need to add the alias to each shell's configuration file.