Which command is commonly used to view the contents of a directory?

The command commonly used to view the contents of a directory is "ls." This command is fundamental in Unix and Linux systems, providing a list of files and directories within the specified directory. By default, "ls" displays file names in a columnar format, and it can also be used with various options to modify its output, such as listing files in a human-readable format or displaying hidden files.

Many users rely on "ls" due to its simplicity and effectiveness when navigating the filesystem. It can be combined with parameters like "-l" for detailed output or "-a" to include hidden files, making it versatile for different needs when examining directory contents.