Which command could be used to view the hidden files in a directory?

Which command could be used to view the hidden files in a directory?

• A. ls
• B. ls -a
• C. list
• D. show

Answer: (B)

The command to view hidden files in a directory is 'ls -a'. In Unix-like operating systems, files or directories that start with a dot (.) are considered hidden and are not displayed by default when using the standard 'ls' command. By adding the '-a' option to the 'ls' command, you enable the display of all files in the directory, including those that are hidden. This is particularly useful when you want to see configuration files or other files that are typically hidden from user view to prevent accidental modifications or deletions. The command provides a complete listing, allowing users to manage files more effectively. The other options do not achieve this result: 'ls' alone will not display hidden files, 'list' is not a recognized command in most Unix-like systems, and 'show' typically does not serve a purpose for listing files in directories. Therefore, using 'ls -a' is the appropriate way to view hidden files.

The command to view hidden files in a directory is 'ls -a'. In Unix-like operating systems, files or directories that start with a dot (.) are considered hidden and are not displayed by default when using the standard 'ls' command. By adding the '-a' option to the 'ls' command, you enable the display of all files in the directory, including those that are hidden.

This is particularly useful when you want to see configuration files or other files that are typically hidden from user view to prevent accidental modifications or deletions. The command provides a complete listing, allowing users to manage files more effectively.

The other options do not achieve this result: 'ls' alone will not display hidden files, 'list' is not a recognized command in most Unix-like systems, and 'show' typically does not serve a purpose for listing files in directories. Therefore, using 'ls -a' is the appropriate way to view hidden files.