Introduction to lla

lla is a modern, fast file explorer built in Rust that enhances the traditional ls command with powerful features like plugins, specialized views, and Git integration.

Welcome to lla

lla is a modern file listing tool that reimagines the traditional ls command for today's developers and system administrators. Built with Rust for exceptional performance and reliability, lla transforms how you interact with your filesystem through intelligent views, powerful plugins, and seamless Git integration.

Why lla?

The traditional ls command has served us well for decades, but modern workflows demand more. Whether you're navigating large codebases, managing cloud infrastructure, or organizing complex project hierarchies, lla provides the tools you need without sacrificing speed or simplicity.

Built for Modern Workflows

  • Zero Configuration Required: Works beautifully out of the box with sensible defaults
  • Blazing Fast: Written in Rust, optimized for performance on directories with thousands of files
  • Git-Aware: Native Git integration shows repository status at a glance
  • Extensible: Robust plugin system lets you add exactly the features you need
  • Beautiful Output: Carefully designed themes and formatting that respect your terminal

Who is lla for?

  • Developers navigating large codebases and managing multiple projects
  • System Administrators monitoring file systems and organizing server directories
  • DevOps Engineers automating workflows with machine-readable output
  • Power Users who want more from their command line tools
  • Anyone who spends significant time in the terminal

Views

  • Default: Quick browsing
default
  • Long: Detailed metadata
long
  • Tree: Directory structure
tree
  • Table: Structured data view
table
  • Grid: Dense directories
grid
  • Git: Repository status
git
  • Timeline: Chronological grouping
timeline
  • Size map: Storage insights
sizemap
  • Fuzzy search (experimental): Fast file finding
fuzzy

Key Features at a Glance

Multiple Specialized Views

Different tasks require different perspectives. lla provides specialized views optimized for specific workflows:

  • Default View: Clean, distraction-free listings for quick navigation
  • Long Format: Comprehensive metadata including permissions, ownership, and timestamps
  • Tree View: Hierarchical visualization of directory structures
  • Table Layout: Structured data display perfect for comparisons
  • Grid Display: Space-efficient layout for dense directories
  • Git View: Repository insights with file status indicators
  • Timeline View: Chronological organization for time-based workflows
  • Size Map: Visual storage analysis to identify space usage
  • Fuzzy Search: Interactive file discovery with multi-select

Intelligent File Operations

lla goes beyond simple listing with smart filtering and organization:

  • Advanced Filtering: Complex patterns using OR, AND, NOT, XOR logic
  • Regex Support: Powerful pattern matching with regular expressions
  • Content Search: Ripgrep-powered search across file contents with syntax highlighting
  • Smart Sorting: Multiple criteria including natural number sorting
  • Type Filtering: Show or hide specific file types instantly

Performance Engineering

Built with performance as a first-class concern:

  • Efficient Memory Usage: Handles directories with thousands of files effortlessly
  • Optimized Recursion: Fast traversal even in deep directory trees
  • Smart Caching: Intelligent caching where it matters
  • Streaming Output: Machine-readable formats stream for minimal memory footprint
  • Responsive: Always feels snappy, even on network filesystems

Plugin Ecosystem

Extend lla's capabilities through a robust plugin system:

  • Stable API: Version-independent protocol ensures plugins work across updates
  • Isolated Execution: Plugins run safely without affecting core stability
  • Rich Ecosystem: 16+ first-party plugins for common tasks
  • Easy Development: Well-documented API and helper libraries
  • Community-Driven: Share and discover plugins from the community
plugin-use

Perfect for Integration

lla is designed to work seamlessly with your existing tools and workflows:

  • Machine-Readable Output: JSON, NDJSON, and CSV formats for scripting
  • Shell Completion: First-class completion support for bash, zsh, fish, and elvish
  • Exit Codes: Meaningful exit codes for reliable scripting
  • Pipe-Friendly: Designed to work well in command pipelines
  • Archive Support: List archive contents without extraction

What's Next?

Ready to get started? Head over to the Installation Guide to install lla on your system, or jump directly to Basic Usage to learn the fundamentals.

Want to extend lla? Check out our Plugin Development Guide to create your first plugin.