tree Command in Linux with Examples
The tree command in Linux is a powerful, user-friendly tool that visually maps directory structures in a hierarchical, tree-like format. Unlike the basic ls command, which lists files and folders linearly, tree reveals the nested relationships between directories and their contents, making it easier to grasp complex folder layouts at a glance.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to install (if not pre-installed), use, and customize the tree command to streamline file management, document projects, or simply admire your system’s architecture.

What is the tree Command
As discussed above, it helps in displaying the hierarchical structure of directories and files in a tree-like format. It’s particularly useful when you need to understand how files and directories are organized, especially when dealing with nested directories.
The tree command
also allows you to visualize file systems and explore directories without the need for manually navigating through each one.
Installing `tree` Command in Linux
By default, the tree command is not installed. Type the following command to install the same
Installation in RHEL / CentOS / Fedora Linux
Note: Version less than or equal to Rhel8
sudo yum install tree
Note that in version greater than RHEL 8, we need to need dnf command.
For example, in installation in RHEL 9.
sudo dnf install tree

Installation in Debian / Mint / Ubuntu Linux
sudo apt-get install tree

Installation in Apple OS X
brew install tree
Basic Syntax of tree Command in Linux
tree [options]
If we want to display the directory structure using the simple `tree` command without adding any option.

Here `tree` command will output the directory structure, starting from the current directory.
Options Available in `tree` Command in Linux
Options | Description |
---|---|
--help | --help |
--version | Outputs the version of the tree. |
`-a` or `--all` | Includes hidden files and directories in the tree. |
`-d` or `--dirs-only` | List directories only. |
`-f` or `--full-path` | Prints the full path prefix for each file. |
`-i` or `--ignore-case` | Ignores case when sorting filenames. |
-x | Stay on the current file system only, as with find -xdev. |
-I | Do not list those files that match the wild-card pattern. |
`-p` or `--prune` | Omits the specified directory from the tree. |
--filelimit # | Do not descend directories that contain more than # entries. |
-t | Sort the output by last modification time instead of alphabetically. |
--noreport | Omits printing of the file and directory report at the end of the tree listing. |
-s | Print the size of each file along with the name. |
-u | Print the username, or UID # if no username is available, of the file. |
-g | Print the group name, or GID # if no group name is available, of the file |
-D | Print the date of the last modification time for the file listed. |
--inodes | Prints the inode number of the file or directory |
--device | Prints the device number to which the file or directory belongs |
-F | Append a `/' for directories, a `=' for socket files, a `*' for executable files and a `|' for FIFO's, as per ls -F |
-q | Print non-printable characters in file names as question marks instead of the default carrot notation. |
-N | Print non-printable characters as is instead of the default carrot notation. |
-r | Sort the output in reverse alphabetic order. |
--dirsfirst | List directories before files. |
-n | Turn colorization off always, over-ridden by the -C option. |
-C | Turn colorization on always, using built-in color defaults if the LS_COLORS environment variable is not set. Useful to colorize output to a pipe. |
-A | Turn on ANSI line graphics hack when printing the indentation lines. |
-S | Turn on ASCII line graphics (useful when using linux console mode fonts). This option is now equivalent to `--charset=IBM437' and will eventually be depreciated. |
-L level | Max display depth of the directory tree. |
-R | Recursively cross down the tree each level directories (see -L option), and at each of them execute tree again adding `-o 00Tree.html' as a new option. |
-H baseHREF | Turn on HTML output, including HTTP references. Useful for ftp sites. baseHREF gives the base ftp location when using HTML output. That is, the local directory may be `/local/ftp/pub', but it must be referenced as `ftp://host-name.organization.domain/pub' (baseHREF should be `ftp://hostname.organization.domain'). Hint: don't use ANSI lines with this option, and don't give more than one directory in the directory list. If you want to use colors via CSS stylesheet, use the -C option in addition to this option to force color output. |
-T title | Sets the title and H1 header string in HTML output mode. |
--charset charset | Set the character set to use when outputting HTML and for line drawing. |
--nolinks | Turns off hyperlinks in HTML output. |
-o file name | Send output to file name. |
Examples
Display the tree hierarchy of a directory
tree -a ./GFG

List files with entered pattern
tree -P sample* .

Listing Only Files Recursively
The tree command by default shows both files and directories. If you want to list only files, you can use:
tree -daifv --noreport . | xargs -I {} tree -aifv -L 1 --noreport {} | xargs -I {} find {} -prune -type f
List those directories which have greater 'N' number of files/directories
tree --filelimit 3 ./GFG

List files with their permissions.
tree -p ./GFG

Prints the device number to which the file or directory belongs.
tree --device ./GFG

Prints the output by last modification time instead of alphabetically.
tree -t ./GFG

Filtering for Specific File Type
If you want to display only PDF files inside a directory structure, you can modify the command:
tree -aif --noreport | grep "\.pdf$"
Why Use Tree Instead of Other Commands
Many users compare tree
with other directory listing tools like ls
, find
, and du
. Adding this section can boost engagement and keyword ranking:
- Better Visualization: Unlike
ls
andfind
, thetree
command visually represents the directory structure. - Customizable Output:
tree
supports sorting, filtering, and formatting, making it more flexible thanls -R
. - File and Directory Counts: Unlike
find
,tree
provides a summary of files, directories, and their sizes. - Readable Hierarchy: Unlike
du
, which shows sizes,tree
makes folder relationships clear.
Conclusion
The tree command in Linux is a crucial tool used for displaying directory structure in a visually intuitive way. Whether you need to visualize your file system, list directories only, or include hidden files, the tree command provides a wide range of options to customize its output.