Linux Pocket Guide, 2nd Edition

Name

du — stdin  stdout  - file  -- opt  --help  --version

Synopsis

du [options] [files| directories]

The du (disk usage) command measures the disk space occupied by files or directories. By default, it measures the current directory and all its subdirectories, printing totals in blocks for each, with a grand total at the bottom.

$ du
8    ./Notes
36   ./Mail
340  ./Files/mine
40   ./Files/bob
416  ./Files
216  ./PC
2404 .

It can also measure the size of files:

$ du myfile myfile2
4    myfile
16   myfile2

Useful options

-b	Measure usage in bytes.
-k	Measure usage in kilobytes.
-m	Measure usage in megabytes.
-B N	Display sizes in blocks that you define, where 1 block = N bytes. (Default = 1024)
-h -H	Print in human-readable units. For example, if two directories are of size 1 gigabyte or 25 kilobytes, respectively, du -h prints 1G and 25K. The -h option uses powers of 1024, whereas -H uses powers of 1000.
-c	Print a total in the last line. This is the default behavior when measuring a directory, but for measuring individual files, provide -c if you want a total.
-L	Follow symbolic links and measure the files they point to.
-s	Print only the total size.