(coreutils.info)Sorting the output

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10.1.3 Sorting the output
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These options change the order in which ‘ls’ sorts the information it
outputs.  By default, sorting is done by character code (e.g., ASCII
order).

‘-c’
‘--time=ctime’
‘--time=status’
     If the long listing format (e.g., ‘-l’, ‘-o’) is being used, print
     the status change timestamp (the ctime) instead of the mtime.  When
     explicitly sorting by time (‘--sort=time’ or ‘-t’) or when not
     using a long listing format, sort according to the ctime.  Note:
     File timestamps.

‘-f’
     Primarily, like ‘-U’—do not sort; list the files in whatever order
     they are stored in the directory.  But also enable ‘-a’ (list all
     files) and disable ‘-l’, ‘--color’, and ‘-s’ (if they were
     specified before the ‘-f’).

‘-r’
‘--reverse’
     Reverse whatever the sorting method is—e.g., list files in reverse
     alphabetical order, youngest first, smallest first, or whatever.

‘-S’
‘--sort=size’
     Sort by file size, largest first.

‘-t’
‘--sort=time’
     Sort by modification timestamp (mtime), newest first.  Note: File
     timestamps.

‘-u’
‘--time=atime’
‘--time=access’
‘--time=use’
     If the long listing format (e.g., ‘--format=long’) is being used,
     print the last access timestamp (the atime).  When explicitly
     sorting by time (‘--sort=time’ or ‘-t’) or when not using a long
     listing format, sort according to the atime.  Note: File
     timestamps.

‘-U’
‘--sort=none’
     Do not sort; list the files in whatever order they are stored in
     the directory.  (Do not do any of the other unrelated things that
     ‘-f’ does.)  This is especially useful when listing very large
     directories, since not doing any sorting can be noticeably faster.

‘-v’
‘--sort=version’
     Sort by version name and number, lowest first.  It behaves like a
     default sort, except that each sequence of decimal digits is
     treated numerically as an index/version number.  (Note: Details
     about version sort.)

‘-X’
‘--sort=extension’
     Sort directory contents alphabetically by file extension
     (characters after the last ‘.’); files with no extension are sorted
     first.