How to List Only Directories in Ubuntu Terminal

This article provides a quick guide on filtering directory listings in the Ubuntu operating system. You will learn specific terminal commands that exclude regular files and display only subfolders within your current working directory. These methods are essential for scripting automation and efficient navigation.

Use ls with Wildcards

The fastest way to list directories is using the ls command with a wildcard pattern. This method tells the shell to expand only items that end with a slash, which indicates a directory.

ls -d */

Use ls with Grep

You can combine the long listing format with grep to filter lines that start with the directory permission character. This displays detailed information about each folder.

ls -l | grep "^d"

Use the Find Command

For robust scripting, the find utility offers precise control. This command searches the current path limited to one depth level and selects only items of type directory.

find . -maxdepth 1 -type d

Note that find includes the current directory . in the output. To exclude it, you can add ! -name . to the command.