Bash du - Estimate File Space Usage
Using the du Command
The du command is used to estimate file space usage.
It's helpful for finding out how much space files and directories take up.
All examples below use a hypothetical output for demonstration:
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .
Understanding the Output
The du command output consists of two columns:
- Size: The amount of disk space used by the file or directory.
- Path: The file or directory path.
Basic Usage
To display file space usage, use du:
Example: Basic Usage
du
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .Options
The du command has options to change how it works:
-h- Show sizes in human-readable format (e.g., KB, MB)-s- Show only the total size for each item-a- Show sizes for all files, not just directories-c- Produce a grand total--max-depth=N- Limit the depth of directory traversal
Show Sizes in Human-Readable Format
The -h option allows you to show sizes in human-readable format.
Example: Show Sizes in Human-Readable Format
du -h
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .Show Only Total Size
The -s option allows you to show only the total size for each item.
Example: Show Only Total Size
du -s
20K .Show Sizes for All Files
The -a option allows you to show sizes for all files, not just directories.
Example: Show Sizes for All Files
du -a
4.0K ./file1
4.0K ./file2
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .Produce a Grand Total
The -c option allows you to produce a grand total.
Example: Produce a Grand Total
du -c
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .
40K totalLimit Directory Traversal Depth
The --max-depth=N option allows you to limit the depth of directory traversal.
This can be useful for summarizing disk usage at a specific directory level.
Example: Limit Directory Traversal Depth
du --max-depth=1
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .In this example, du --max-depth=1 shows the space used by each directory at the top level, without diving deeper into subdirectories.
Example: Limit Directory Traversal Depth to 2
du --max-depth=2
4.0K ./dir1/subdir1
8.0K ./dir1
6.0K ./dir2/subdir2
12K ./dir2
20K .Here, du --max-depth=2 provides a summary of disk usage up to two levels deep, including subdirectories.
Combining Options
Options can be combined to provide more detailed output. For example, du -h --max-depth=1 shows sizes in human-readable format with limited directory depth.
Example: Combine Options
du -h --max-depth=1
8.0K ./dir1
12K ./dir2
20K .
