"du" Command

Learn all about du command

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du - disk usage

It is used to estimate file space usage.

root:~# man du

Example-1

1.1 Default Output

By Default, du displays disks occupied by directories only.

root:~# ls /tmp/ -l
total 25072
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root     1235 Dec  7 11:46 ffprobe_output
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      141 Dec 18 14:43 file1.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      132 Dec 18 14:29 file2.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       26 Dec 18 14:28 file3.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       29 Dec 18 14:29 file4.txt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root     4096 Dec 28 13:18 hsperfdata_root
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 25633675 Dec 21 09:15 multi-lang-movie.mp4
drwx------ 2 root root     4096 Dec 28 16:54 ssh-0u03dR1f58
drwx------ 2 root root     4096 Dec  1 12:32 ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
drwx------ 3 root root     4096 Dec  1 12:27 systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
root:~# du /tmp/
4    /tmp/.font-unix
68    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4    /tmp/.X11-unix
4    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58
4    /tmp/.Test-unix
4    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
25164    /tmp/

1.2 Display disk usage of all files and directories (-a)

As mentioned by default, du command displays only information of directories but to display information of files (-a) needs to be used.

root:~# du /tmp/ -a
4    /tmp/.font-unix
32    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4    /tmp/.X11-unix
25036    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4    /tmp/file3.txt
4    /tmp/ffprobe_output
0    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58/agent.8022
4    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58
4    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4    /tmp/file1.txt
4    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4    /tmp/file2.txt
4    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4    /tmp/file4.txt
25164    /tmp/

Example-2

2.1 Display output in human readable format (-h)

root:~# du /tmp/ -ah
4.0K    /tmp/.font-unix
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    /tmp/ffprobe_output
0    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58/agent.8022
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58
4.0K    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    /tmp/file2.txt
4.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    /tmp/

2.2 Display Grand total (-c)

It displays the Total Bytes used by that directory.

root:~# du /tmp/ -ahc
4.0K    /tmp/.font-unix
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    /tmp/ffprobe_output
0    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58/agent.8022
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-0u03dR1f58
4.0K    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    /tmp/file2.txt
4.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    /tmp/
25M    total

2.3 Display only Total (-s) Count

root:~# du /tmp/ -sh
25M    /tmp/

2.4 End output with null byte (-0)

root:~# du /tmp/ -sh -0
25M    /tmp/root:~#

Example-3

3.1 Feed input from file (--files0-from=File) Here, du can read input from file. As shown, name should be NUL-terminated not new-line.

root:~# cat temp_file
/tmp/file1.txtroot:~#
root:~# du -ah --files0-from=temp_file
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
root:~#

3.2 Feed input from stdin (--files0-from=-) du can read input from stdin. For that instead of giving file, user should give '-' in --files0-from

root:~# du -ah --files0-from=-
/tmp/4.0K       /tmp/.font-unix
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    /tmp/ffprobe_output
4.0K    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    /tmp/file2.txt
0    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay/agent.16499
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay
4.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    /tmp/
/root/.vimrc4.0K    /root/.vimrc
^C

How this works:
1. Enter File or directory name. In this case, I have entered "/tmp/" directory
2. Now Press Twice ctrl + d. This action will print output
3. If user is interested then another directory/file name can be entered. In this case, I have entered "/root/.vimrc" file
4. Press again Twice ctrl + d. This action will print output
5. Once user is done Press ctrl + c

Example-4

4.1 Customize Block Size (-block-size) By default, du uses 1024 block size to represent its output. but this default size can be changed.

root:~# du /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
25036    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
root:~# du /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4 --block-size=2048
12518    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
root:~# du /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4 --block-size=4096
6259    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
root:~# du /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4 --block-size=512
50072    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
root:~# du /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4 --block-size=511
50170    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4

4.2 Exclude Particular types of pattern from Files or Directories (--exclude)

root:~# ls /tmp/
ffprobe_output    file2.txt  file4.txt        multi-lang-movie.mp4  ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
file1.txt    file3.txt  hsperfdata_root  ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay      systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
root:~# du /tmp/ -ach --exclude='hsperfdata_root'
4.0K    /tmp/.font-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    /tmp/ffprobe_output
4.0K    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    /tmp/file2.txt
0    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay/agent.16499
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay
4.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    /tmp/
25M    total
root:~# du /tmp/ -ach --exclude='.txt'
4.0K    /tmp/.font-unix
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    /tmp/ffprobe_output
4.0K    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    /tmp/file2.txt
0    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay/agent.16499
4.0K    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay
4.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    /tmp/
25M    total
root:~#

Example-5

5.1 Display the modification time (--time)

root@198.18.123.26:~# du /tmp/ -ach --time
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/.font-unix
32K    2017-12-28 13:19    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    2017-12-28 13:19    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    2017-12-28 13:19    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    2017-12-21 09:15    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:28    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    2017-12-07 11:46    /tmp/ffprobe_output
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    2017-12-01 12:32    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:32    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:43    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:29    /tmp/file2.txt
0    2017-12-28 20:02    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay/agent.16499
4.0K    2017-12-28 20:02    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    2017-12-01 12:27    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:29    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    2017-12-28 20:31    /tmp/
25M    2017-12-28 20:31    total

5.2 Customize the display style (--time-style)

Here 'full-iso','long-iso' and 'iso' are the valid inputs.

root@198.18.123.26:~# du /tmp/ -ach --time --time-style=full-iso
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/.font-unix
32K    2017-12-28 13:19:43.000000000 +0000    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31945
32K    2017-12-28 13:19:41.000000000 +0000    /tmp/hsperfdata_root/31948
68K    2017-12-28 13:19:43.000000000 +0000    /tmp/hsperfdata_root
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/.X11-unix
25M    2017-12-21 09:15:58.000000000 +0000    /tmp/multi-lang-movie.mp4
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:28:52.000000000 +0000    /tmp/file3.txt
4.0K    2017-12-07 11:46:14.000000000 +0000    /tmp/ffprobe_output
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/.Test-unix
0    2017-12-01 12:32:06.000000000 +0000    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH/agent.6153
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:32:06.000000000 +0000    /tmp/ssh-gze57tP5QBuH
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:43:14.000000000 +0000    /tmp/file1.txt
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/.XIM-unix
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/.ICE-unix
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:29:52.000000000 +0000    /tmp/file2.txt
0    2017-12-28 20:02:01.000000000 +0000    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay/agent.16499
4.0K    2017-12-28 20:02:01.000000000 +0000    /tmp/ssh-b8lAR9y9Ay
4.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi/tmp
8.0K    2017-12-01 12:27:04.000000000 +0000    /tmp/systemd-private-ccd49946bb594951b2bf05a9f1c5b005-systemd-timesyncd.service-DZiKXi
4.0K    2017-12-18 14:29:01.000000000 +0000    /tmp/file4.txt
25M    2017-12-28 20:34:01.000000000 +0000    /tmp/
25M    2017-12-28 20:34:01.000000000 +0000    total