how to use the Linux tree command without showing all the files?

how do I use the linux tree command without showing all the files? its too long. I just want to see the directory structure

Leo AI said:
To view only the directory structure without showing all files in Linux, use the -d option with the tree command. 

tree -d

This displays only directories and subdirectories, omitting all files. You can further limit the depth of the output using the -L option to show only a specific level of nesting.  For example:

tree -d -L 2

This shows only the top two levels of directories. 

If you want to include hidden directories (those starting with a dot), add the -a flag:

tree -d -a -L 2

These options help you quickly visualize the folder hierarchy without being overwhelmed by file listings. 

You said:
show me some additional tree command examples that might be useful for certain situations.

Leo AI said:
Here are some practical tree command examples for various scenarios:

1. Limit Directory Depth

To avoid overly long outputs, limit the depth using -L:

tree -L 2

Shows only the top two levels of directories. 

2. Exclude Specific Files or Directories

Use -I to ignore certain patterns (e.g., exclude .git and node_modules):

tree -I 'node_modules|.git'

3. List Only Files Matching a Pattern

Use -P to show only files matching a wildcard (e.g., all .conf files):

tree -P '*.conf'

4. Show File Sizes and Permissions

Combine -p (permissions), -s (size in bytes), and -h (human-readable):

tree -p -s -h

5. Include Hidden Files and Directories

Use -a to include hidden entries (those starting with .):

tree -a

6. Prune Empty Directories

Add --prune to omit empty directories from the output:

tree --prune

7. Save Output to a File

Redirect output to a file using -o:

tree -o tree_output.txt

8. Sort by Modification Time

Use -t to sort by last modified time (newest last):

tree -t

9. Follow Symbolic Links

Use -l to follow symbolic links as if they were real directories:

tree -l

10. Stay on One Filesystem

Use -x to avoid crossing filesystem boundaries:

tree -x

These options can be combined for more control. For example:

tree -d -L 2 -I 'tmp|cache' --prune

Shows only directories, up to 2 levels deep, excluding tmp and cache, and prunes empty ones.