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Dev tools · September 6, 2011

Notational `ls` - Never get lost in code again (hour long hack)

Hey folks, I just wanted to share a quick script I threw together called notational ls. One of the big problems of any code base (or any filesystem) is that it's hard to tell what's what - folder and file names often trade brevity for clarity. So I thought about a version of `ls` that works like this: > nls web: Where python web server files are stored ad_hoc: One time scripts ios: Our IOS code images Adding descriptions is really easy too: > nls images Images SHARED between both ios and web web: Where python web server files are stored ad_hoc: One time scripts ios: Our IOS code…

Notational `ls` - Never get lost in code again (hour long hack) launched on September 6, 2011 with 29 votes, #52 of 306 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was not reachable when checked in September 2026.

Visit github.com ↗Alternativestop 17% of September 2011

In plain words

Notational `ls` is a command-line tool that extends the standard `ls` command to display descriptions alongside directories and files. Built in Python, it allows developers to add clarifying notes to folders and files, making it easier to understand what each contains at a glance. The script is designed for anyone working with codebases or filesystems where brief names lack clarity, and adding descriptions is straightforward through simple commands.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

In the maker’s words, at launch

Hey folks, I just wanted to share a quick script I threw together called notational ls. One of the big problems of any code base (or any filesystem) is that it's hard to tell what's what - folder and file names often trade brevity for clarity. So I thought about a version of `ls` that works like this: > nls web…

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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part

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