Linux 101: List Files and Use Patterns
Inspect directory contents from the Linux terminal, read what a listing tells you, sort it to find the entry you need faster, and use shell patterns to name groups of files.
In this Shell Gym, you will learn how to inspect directories from the command line and how to let the shell name groups of files for you with patterns.
Assumed knowledge: you know what files and directories are, can run commands with arguments and options, and can move around the Linux filesystem with absolute and relative paths. You do not need to understand file permissions to complete this gym.
What you will learn:
- Show the contents of the working directory, of another directory, or of several directories at once, hidden names included.
- Understand the file listing format: file type, owner, group, size, and modification time.
- Sort a listing by time or by size to find the newest or the largest entry.
- Use
*,?, and[...]patterns to name groups of files, and see what a pattern expands to before a command runs. - List a file whose name begins with a dash.
A session takes just a few minutes and is meant to be repeated over time until you get fluent in inspecting directories and matching file names.
Train once, and this gym will be added to your Daily Practice. The reps return after 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 days, until using the commands becomes muscle memory.
Practice in a real terminal
Work in an ordinary shell on a real Linux VM. Shell Gym watches what you do and completes each rep automatically as soon as you reach the goal.
Small reps, focused gyms
Each module groups a handful of short reps around one command or concept, so you can focus on one thing at a time and build the skill step by step.
Spaced repetition, built in
The gym comes back after 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 days, so you revisit the commands before they fade and gradually turn deliberate practice into muscle memory.
Built into Daily Practice
When a gym is due, it appears in your Daily Practice. Pause it when you need a break, or complete it once the skill has become second nature.
Every session on record
Each session records how long you practiced and how many reps you completed, so you can see your training history and progress right here.
Help when you get stuck
Open a hint or follow the live feedback Shell Gym gives you based on what it sees on the VM — just enough to get unstuck without giving away the answer.