ls -a option flag lists all files including hidden files starting with '.'
$ ls -a [options] [file|dir]
ls: default list:
$ ls
Desktop Downloads Pictures Templates Videos
Documents Music Public todo.txt
$
ls -a: list with hidden files/directories:
$ ls -a
. Desktop .gnome2 Music .shotwell
.. Documents .gstreamer-0.10 .nautilus Templates
.bash_logout Downloads .gtk-bookmarks Pictures .thumbnails
.bashrc .esd_auth .gvfs .profile todo.txt
.cache .fontconfig .ICEauthority Public Videos
.config .gconf .libreoffice .pulse .xsession-errors
.dbus .gconfd .local .pulse-cookie
$
ls -la: long listing format with hidden files:
$ ls -la
total 40
drwxr-xr-x 25 user user 680 2011-08-17 18:07 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 60 2011-08-17 16:19 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 220 2011-08-17 16:19 .bash_logout
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 3353 2011-08-17 16:19 .bashrc
drwx------ 7 user user 220 2011-08-17 17:58 .cache
drwx------ 9 user user 220 2011-08-17 18:02 .config
drwx------ 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 16:19 .dbus
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 80 2011-08-17 16:52 Desktop
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Documents
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Downloads
-rw------- 1 user user 16 2011-08-17 16:20 .esd_auth
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 100 2011-08-17 17:56 .fontconfig
drwx------ 4 user user 80 2011-08-17 16:52 .gconf
drwx------ 2 user user 60 2011-08-17 18:14 .gconfd
drwx------ 5 user user 100 2011-08-17 16:52 .gnome2
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 60 2011-08-17 17:58 .gstreamer-0.10
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 142 2011-08-17 16:52 .gtk-bookmarks
dr-x------ 2 user user 0 2011-08-17 16:52 .gvfs
-rw------- 1 user user 318 2011-08-17 16:52 .ICEauthority
drwxr-xr-x 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 17:56 .libreoffice
drwxr-xr-x 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 16:52 .local
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Music
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 .nautilus
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 120 2011-08-17 18:14 Pictures
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 675 2011-08-17 16:19 .profile
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Public
drwx------ 2 user user 160 2011-08-17 16:20 .pulse
-rw------- 1 user user 256 2011-08-17 16:20 .pulse-cookie
drwxr-xr-x 5 user user 100 2011-08-17 17:58 .shotwell
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Templates
drwx------ 3 user user 60 2011-08-17 18:02 .thumbnails
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 131 2011-08-17 18:07 todo.txt
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user 40 2011-08-17 16:52 Videos
-rw------- 1 user user 8030 2011-08-17 18:16 .xsession-errors
$
