alder – minimal directory tree utility with filtering and JSX output

alder is a command-line utility for displaying directory contents as a hierarchical tree. Inspired by the traditional Unix tree command, it provides a compact way to inspect the structure of a filesystem while controlling which files and directories appear in the output.

The program is particularly useful when examining source code repositories, documenting project layouts, or narrowing a directory listing to files matching particular patterns. It can also produce JSX representations of directory structures.

Rather than requiring a separate interactive interface, alder exposes its functionality through command-line options that can be combined in scripts and terminal workflows.

This is free and open source software.

Key Features

• Displays recursive directory listings using a hierarchical tree layout.
• Shows file sizes alongside filenames.
• Displays modification timestamps for files.
• Limits directory traversal to a specified depth.
• Supports regular expression patterns for including or excluding files.
• Can exclude files matched by a project’s .gitignore rules.
• Displays hidden files and directories when requested.
• Supports directory-only listings that omit individual files.
• Displays complete path prefixes rather than filenames alone.
• Allows indentation lines to be omitted from the output.
• Prunes empty directories from the displayed tree.
• Limits traversal of directories containing more than a specified number of entries.
• Can represent directory structures as JSX.

Website: github.com/aweary/alder
Support:
Developer: Brandon Dail
License: MIT License

alder is written in JavaScript. Learn JavaScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials.

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