Last Updated : 27 Dec, 2024
The `du` command in Linux is a powerful utility that allows users to analyze and report on disk usage within directories and files. Whether you're trying to identify space-hogging directories, manage disk space efficiently, or simply gain insights into storage consumption, the du command provides valuable information. In this article, we'll explore the du command, its basic syntax, and various examples to demonstrate its functionality.
The basic syntax of the du command is as follows:
du [options] [directory/file]
Here,
[options] = various flags that modify the behavior of the command
[directory/file] = the target directory or file for which disk usage information is desired. If no directory or file is specified, du will default to the current directory.
Example:
du /home/mandeep/test
Output:
44 /home/mandeep/test/data 2012 /home/mandeep/test/system design 24 /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table/tree 28 /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32 /home/mandeep/test/table 100104 /home/mandeep/testOptions available in `du` command in Linux
The du command offers a range of options that enhance its functionality. Let's explore some commonly used options:
Options
Describe
-0, --null
end each output line with NULL
-a or --all
Displays disk usage information for all files and directories, including hidden ones.
--apparent-size
print apparent sizes, rather than disk usage
-B, --block-size=SIZE
scale sizes to SIZE before printing on console
-c or --total
Shows the total disk usage in addition to individual usage for directories and files.
-d, --max-depth=N
print total for directory only if it is N or fewer levels below command line argument
-h or --human-readable
Displays sizes in human-readable format, using units such as KB, MB, GB, etc. This option makes it easier to interpret the disk usage information.
-S, -separate-dirs
for directories, don't include size of subdirectories
-s or --summarize
Provides a summary of the disk usage for the specified directory or file, without displaying individual usage details for subdirectories.
--time
show time of last modification of any file or directory
--exclude
Excludes specific directories or files from disk usage calculation based on patterns or names.
Pratical Example of du Command 1. `-h` option in `du` commandIf we want to print sizes in human readable format(K, M, G), use -h option
du -h /home/Mandeep/test
Output:
44K /home/mandeep/test/data 2.0M /home/mandeep/test/system design 24K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table/tree 28K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32K /home/mandeep/test/table 98M /home/mandeep/test 44K /home/mandeep/test/data 2.0M /home/mandeep/test/system design 24K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table/tree 28K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32K /home/mandeep/test/table 98M /home/mandeep/test2. To display all files, including directories, with their sizes
Use -a option for printing all files including directories.
du -a -h /home/mandeep/test
Output: This is partial output of above command.
4.0K /home/mandeep/test/blah1-new 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/fbtest.py 8.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/4.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/7.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/1.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/3.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/6.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/2.txt 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/8.txt 8.0K /home/mandeep/test/data/5.txt 44K /home/mandeep/test/data 4.0K /home/mandeep/test/notifier.py3. To calculate the total size of a directory and its subdirectories Use -c option to print total size
du -c -h /home/mandeep/test
Output:
44K /home/mandeep/test/data 2.0M /home/mandeep/test/system design 24K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table/tree 28K /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32K /home/mandeep/test/table 98M /home/mandeep/test 98M total`-d` option in `du` command
To print sizes to particular level, use -d option with level no.
du -d 1 /home/mandeep/test
Output:
44 /home/mandeep/test/data 2012 /home/mandeep/test/system design 32 /home/mandeep/test/table 100104 /home/mandeep/test
Now try with level 2, you will get some extra directories
du -d 2 /home/mandeep/test
Output:
44 /home/mandeep/test/data 2012 /home/mandeep/test/system design 28 /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32 /home/mandeep/test/table 100104 /home/mandeep/test4. To obtain the disk usage summary for a directory
Get summary of file system using -s option
du -s /home/mandeep/test
Output:
100104 /home/mandeep/test5. To view the timestamp of the last modification of files and directories
Get the timestamp of last modified using --time option
du --time -h /home/mandeep/test
Output:
44K 2018-01-14 22:22 /home/mandeep/test/data 2.0M 2017-12-24 23:06 /home/mandeep/test/system design 24K 2017-12-30 10:20 /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table/tree 28K 2017-12-30 10:20 /home/mandeep/test/table/sample_table 32K 2017-12-30 10:20 /home/mandeep/test/table 98M 2018-02-02 17:32 /home/mandeep/testConclusion
In this article we have discussed the `du` command in Linux which provides us essential insights into file and directory space usage, enabling users to effectively manage their storage. We also discussed the variety of options available. Overall, we can say that mastering `du` command and its options, a user can efficiently analyze disk usage, identify storage areas, and optimize their system's storage utilization.
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