AWS S3 ls requires trailing slash to list subdirectory contents

[Revivekirin]

Description

• Environment: Ubuntu 24.04, AWS CLI

• Issue: While listing S3 bucket contents, I found an inconsistency when navigating subdirectories.

• Steps to reproduce:

  1. Run aws s3 ls root1 → files and folders under root1 are listed correctly.
  2. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2 → no files are shown.
  3. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2/root2
  4. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2 again → files are listed correctly.

• Expected behavior:
  aws s3 ls root1/root2 should list the contents inside root2 without requiring a trailing slash.

• Actual behavior:
  The contents are only shown if a trailing slash / is added.

• Notes:
  Not sure if this is a bug or intended behavior, but it feels unintuitive and inconvenient when navigating S3 buckets.

Regression Issue

• Select this option if this issue appears to be a regression.

Expected Behavior

aws s3 ls root1/root2 should directly show the contents of root2 without requiring a trailing slash.

Current Behavior

aws s3 ls root1/root2 shows no files unless a trailing slash / is added.

Reproduction Steps

1. Run aws s3 ls root1 → contents appear.
2. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2 → no contents.
3. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2/root2/ → no contents
4. Run aws s3 ls root1/root2 → contents appear

Possible Solution

Make aws s3 ls <path> list contents regardless of trailing slash.

Additional Information/Context

No response

CLI version used

downloaded with command curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-x86_64.zip" -o "awscliv2.zip" unzip awscliv2.zip

Environment details (OS name and version, etc.)

linux Ubuntu 24.04
Window latest updated version

[adev-code]

Hello @adev-code, thanks for reaching out. This is expected from S3 response. In order to list files within a directory, you need to have the trailing slash delimiter. Without the trailing slash, S3 treats "root2" as a search pattern and returns "path/" as a common prefix - if the prefix exists.

[Revivekirin]

Thanks for your help!