exa

exa lists file sizes using decimal prefixes by default: bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and so on. There are two ways to use a different format:

• Use -b or --binary to use binary prefixes: kibibytes, mibibytes, gibibytes, and so on.
• Use -B or --bytes to use no prefixes at all and display sizes as exact numbers of bytes.

The size column displays the major and minor device IDs when listing a block or character device.

A file has one owner and one group. It’s these values that govern which users are allowed to do what to each particular file: for example, a program might be executable by all members in a certain group, and readable by everybody, but only writable by its owner.

exa will examine the current user and look up the list of groups that they are a member of, so it can highlight that user’s own files.

The group column is hidden by default, but it can be displayed with the -g or --group command-line option.

A file has three timestamps associated with it, which track the times the file was used. You can set which timestamp to display with the -t or --time argument.

• The modified timestamp is the default, which tracks when this file’s contents were last changed (the mtime).
• The accessed timestamp tracks when this file was last accessed (the atime.)
• The changed timestamp tracks when this file’s metadata was last changed (the ctime).

Supplying a timestamp argument will replace the modified column with the one selected, and supplying two or more arguments will display two or more columns.

Furthermore, you can select which format the timestamps should be displayed in:

• default uses the current locale to print month names, specifies the timestamp down to the minute for times in the current year, and down to the day for previous years.
• iso does the same, except using a month for the number so it doesn’t need to look up the locale.
• long-iso specifies the timestamp down to the minute without using the locale or current year.
• full-iso specifies the timestamp down to the millisecond, including its offset down to the minute, without using the locale or current year.

There are three other metadata fields that are worthy of mention:

• The number of hard links can be shown with the -H or --links arguments.
• The inode can be shown with the -i or --inode command-line arguments.
• The number of filesystem blocks can be shown with the -S or --blocks command-line arguments.

The disadvantage of the long view is that it lists files downwards instead of across. If you have a widescreen monitor, or just a large terminal window, you might find yourself wishing you could make better use of the empty space.

exa’s solution to this is long grid view. By passing the --grid option alongside the --long option, the long view will be split among several larger columns, which will automatically resize themselves to fit all the contents in the screen.