When trying to cd into a directory named "-2", the shell interprets the hyphen as a command option flag. This common issue occurs with any filename starting with special characters like hyphens.

Most shell users first try these approaches (which fail):

cd "-2"
cd '-2'
cd \-2

The shell still sees "-2" as an option rather than a directory name.

1. Using the -- Argument Separator

The most reliable solution is using -- to indicate end of options:

cd -- -2

2. Absolute Path Reference

You can bypass the issue by using the full path:

cd /path/to/-2

3. Relative Path with ./ Prefix

Add ./ to force interpretation as a filename:

cd ./-2

The double-dash (--) is a POSIX standard way to mark the end of command options. The ./ prefix makes it clear this is a path reference rather than an option.

To avoid this problem when creating directories:

mkdir ./-2   # Instead of mkdir -2
mkdir -- -3  # Alternative creation method

The same techniques work for other problematic filenames:

cd -- "--option-looking-dir"
cd ./"(special$chars*)"

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When you try to change into a directory that starts with a hyphen using the cd command, you'll encounter an error like:

bash: cd: -2: invalid option

This happens because Unix/Linux commands interpret arguments starting with hyphens as command options rather than filenames or directory names.

You might have tried these common approaches without success:

cd "-2"
cd '-2'
cd \\-2

These methods typically work for special characters in filenames, but hyphens at the start of arguments are treated specially by most commands.

Method 1: Using the -- Argument

The most reliable solution is to use the -- argument separator:

cd -- -2

This tells the command to treat everything after -- as a filename, not an option.

Method 2: Using Absolute or Relative Path

You can also reference the directory through its path:

cd ./-2

Or with absolute path:

cd /path/to/your/-2

Method 3: Using find or ls with xargs

For more complex scenarios, you can use:

find . -name '-2' -type d -exec cd {} \\;

Or:

ls -d -- -2 | xargs cd

To avoid such problems when creating directories:

mkdir -- -2  # Correct way
mkdir ./-2   # Alternative

The -- convention is part of the POSIX standard and works with most Unix/Linux commands. It's particularly useful for:

• Filenames starting with hyphens
• Filenames that might be interpreted as options
• Scripts that need to handle arbitrary filenames