Linux CLI directory listing colors

[last updated: 2023-04-13]
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Colors of listed files:
• Foreground and background colors, and formatting (bold, etc.) are specified in the environment variable:
  LS_COLORS
• To see default color coding:
  $ echo $LS_COLORS
• Default colors:
  blue is a directory
  green is executable
  blue text with green background is a directory that is writable by others in addition to the owning user and group
  and many others...
• Each file type can have foreground and background colors specified, as well as font syles like bold, underline, etc.
  
  
  
  
  
• To change colors:
  • References:
    https://www.howtogeek.com/307899/how-to-change-the-colors-of-directories...
    https://www.2daygeek.com/understanding-the-color-code-of-linux-files/
  • first save default:
    $ ORIGCOLOR=$LS_COLORS
  • to restore it:
    $ LS_COLORS=$ORIGCOLOR
  • To change colors for files of a particular type,
    for example, files that are writable by others (file type code: ow)
    $ LS_COLORS="ow=31"
    This will change other-writable files to red text with no background
  • To change colors for files with a particular extension:
    for example, jpgfiles that are writable by others (file type code: ow)
    $ LS_COLORS="ow=31"

  • Note: such changes are not saved when you close the terminal.
    To make the changes permanent, you must edit the /.bashrc file
    See instructions in first link above...