tree.md

tree

tree displays directory structures as a recursive tree.

It is useful for inspecting a project layout, documenting repository structure, and sharing a concise overview of files and folders.

The tool is installed through Homebrew and declared in the project Brewfile.

Installation

It is part of the curated Homebrew environment; see Homebrew setup to install everything at once.

Install tree directly:

brew install tree

Verify the installation:

tree --version
brew list --formula | grep -x tree

Usage

Display the current directory structure:

tree

Limit the displayed depth:

tree -L 2

Include hidden files:

tree -a

Display directories only:

tree -d

Excluding large directories

Project directories often contain generated or dependency folders that make the output difficult to read.

Exclude common heavy directories:

tree -L 3 -I '.git|vendor|node_modules'

For a Symfony project:

tree -L 3 -I '.git|vendor|node_modules|var'

Useful output options

Display file sizes:

tree -h

Display full relative paths:

tree -f

Export the structure to a text file:

tree -L 3 -I '.git|vendor|node_modules' > project-tree.txt

The generated file should only be committed when it provides lasting documentation value.

Useful use cases

tree is useful for:

• documenting or reviewing a repository layout;
• sharing an architecture overview;
• comparing folder structures before and after a change.

Safety

tree is read-only.

It displays filesystem contents and does not modify files or directories.

Be careful before sharing its output publicly, as file and directory names can expose sensitive paths and filenames.

Troubleshooting

Display the available options:

tree --help

Confirm the executable path:

command -v tree

If the output is too large, reduce the depth or exclude additional directories:

tree -L 2 -I '.git|vendor|node_modules|var|cache'

Rollback

Remove tree with Homebrew:

brew uninstall tree

Then remove its entry from profiles/full/Brewfile.

---

← Docs index · Project README