ls++
A highly customizable, colorized file listing tool that extends GNU ls with configurable views and syntax highlighting.
What is ls++?
ls++ is a Perl-based command-line utility that extends the standard GNU ls command with advanced colorization, customizable output views, and enhanced file metadata display. It solves the problem of inflexible ls output by allowing users to configure exactly how file information is presented, with syntax highlighting and relative timestamps for better readability.
System administrators, developers, and power users who frequently work in the terminal and want more control and visual clarity when listing directory contents. Particularly useful for those managing complex directory structures or preferring customized workflow tools.
Developers choose ls++ over standard ls because it offers unprecedented customization of output formatting while maintaining full compatibility with ls flags. Its colorization and relative timestamp features provide immediate visual context that standard ls lacks, making file management more efficient.
Overview
ls on steroids
Use Cases
Best For
- Customizing terminal file listings with specific metadata columns
- Quickly identifying file types and permissions through color coding
- Viewing relative file modification times (e.g., '3 days ago')
- Managing complex directory structures with visual highlighting
- Creating personalized file listing configurations via config files
- Extending ls functionality while maintaining command compatibility
Not Ideal For
- Environments where minimal dependencies are crucial, as ls++ requires Perl and additional CPAN modules not always pre-installed.
- Users who only need basic file listing without advanced colorization or custom views, as standard ls or shell aliases suffice.
- Cross-platform teams without consistent Perl installations, given the manual setup required on non-Linux systems like macOS.
- Performance-critical workflows where the overhead of a Perl script might be noticeable compared to native ls.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Offers multiple predefined output formats like --tpsf for time-permissions-size-file and --potsf for permissions-owners-time-size-file, allowing users to tailor metadata display to their needs.
Uses Term::ExtendedColor for syntax highlighting of file types and permissions, enhancing visual clarity and quick identification as shown in the screenshot and documentation.
Unknown arguments are passed through to the underlying ls command, ensuring seamless integration with existing workflows and flags, as stated in the USAGE section.
Supports a configuration file (~/.ls++.conf) for personalized highlighting and file filtering, enabling long-term customization without recompilation.
Cons
Requires manual steps including Perl module installation via CPAN and compilation, which can be error-prone compared to simple package managers, as detailed in the INSTALLATION section.
Being Perl-based, it adds runtime dependencies and may have performance implications or compatibility issues on systems without Perl readily available.
Package support is listed only for Arch Linux and SUSE, leaving other distributions to rely on manual installation from source or CPAN, which can be a barrier to adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
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