Description: The ‘lsusb’ command is a command-line tool used in Unix and Linux-based operating systems to list devices connected via the USB bus. Its name comes from the combination of ‘ls’, which means ‘list’, and ‘usb’, referring to the Universal Serial Bus, a connection standard that allows communication between devices. When executing ‘lsusb’, the user can obtain detailed information about each connected USB device, including its vendor ID, product ID, and device class. This information is crucial for hardware management, troubleshooting, and device configuration within the system. ‘lsusb’ is part of the ‘usbutils’ package, which is included in many Linux distributions, making it an accessible and widely used tool among system administrators and advanced users. Its simplicity and effectiveness have made it a standard in USB device management, allowing users to quickly identify which devices are connected and their status, thus facilitating interaction with external hardware.
History: The ‘lsusb’ command was introduced as part of the ‘usbutils’ package in the 1990s when the USB standard began to gain popularity. As USB devices became more common, the need for tools that allowed users and system administrators to manage and diagnose these devices became evident. ‘lsusb’ was developed to provide a simple way to list and obtain information about connected USB devices, and it has evolved over time to include more options and details about the devices.
Uses: The ‘lsusb’ command is primarily used to identify and list USB devices connected to a system. It is especially useful for system administrators who need to verify hardware connections, troubleshoot devices that are not recognized by the operating system, or simply obtain information about connected devices. It is also used in automation scripts to programmatically manage USB devices.
Examples: A practical example of using ‘lsusb’ would be executing the command in a terminal to check if a USB mouse is connected. By running ‘lsusb’, the user could see an entry indicating the manufacturer and model of the mouse, confirming its connection. Another example would be using ‘lsusb -t’ to display the hierarchy of connected USB devices, which can help diagnose connection issues in a system with multiple USB devices.
