du command is very simple and useful for Summarize and estimate files, directories space usage on Linux or Unix system. Can get different types of disk usage information. Also show usage of each FILE, recursively for directories. 

1. du command:

The below command shows number of disk blocks in the /home/linuxfaq directory including sub-directories.

 du


28      /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris/pkg

40      /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris

44      /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package

1340    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

44864   /home/linuxfaq/


2. Option: -a --all

'-a' count and displays all the files along with  the directories in the output.
 
 du -a /home/linuxfaq


4       /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse.in

4       /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse

4       /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.debian.in

1340    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

4       /home/linuxfaq/.bash_profile

44864   /home/linuxfaq/


3. Option:  -h or --human-readable

Estimate files sizes and displays output human readable format for example K (Kilobit), M (Megabit), G (Gigabit).
 
 du -h /home/linuxfaq


392K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/src

28K     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris/pkg

40K     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris

44K     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package

1.4M    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

44M      /home/linuxfaq/


4. Option: -ah :

'-a' shows the filenames along with  the directories and '-h' Human readbale
 
 du -ah /home/linuxfaq/


4.0K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse

4.0K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.debian.in

1.4M    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

4.0K    /home/linuxfaq/.bash_profile

44M     /home/linuxfaq/


5. Option: -k 

-k option displaying information disk usage of a directory tree including subtrees Kilobyte blocks.
 
du -k   /home/linuxfaq/


392    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/src

28     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris/pkg

40     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris

44     /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package

1340   /home/linuxfaq/myfile

44864  /home/linuxfaq/


6. option: -kh

-k kilobyes blocks, -h Human readable format,
 
 du -kh /home/linuxfaq

28K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris/pkg
40K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris
44K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package
1.4M   /home/linuxfaq/myfile
44M    /home/linuxfaq/

7. Option: -m

Option -m stands for flag counts the blocks in MB units. -h Specify human readable.
 
du -m /home/linuxfaq

or
 
du -mh /home/linuxfaq


28K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris/pkg

40K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package/solaris

44K    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/package

1.4M   /home/linuxfaq/myfile

44M    /home/linuxfaq/


8. Option: -c  --total
     
 Option '-c' specify that grand total usage disk space at end of output. For example you can see below line,
 
 du -ch /home/linuxfaq


....

44M    /home/linuxfaq/

44M    total


9. Option: -s or --summarize

 Use -s option summarize and display only a total space usage for each argument,
 
 du -s /home/linuxfaq/
44864   /home/linuxfaq/
 du -sh /home/linuxfaq
44M    /home/linuxfaq/


10. Oprion: -sch

We can easily summarize few directory usage with human readable. For example estimate directory usage under '/'
 
 cd /

du -sch *


9.7M   bin

62M    boot

4.0K   cdrom

4.0K   dev

16M    etc

1.4G   home
                 

11. option: --exclude

use --exclude option,  exclude files that match pattern. The first command displays all files exclude .css extesion and seconds both .css and .cfg extension.
 
  du -ah --exclude="*.css"  /home/linuxfaq

 du -ah --exclude="*.css" --exclude="*.cfg" /home/linuxfaq/


4.0K   /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse.in

4.0K   /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse

4.0K   /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.debian.in

1.4M   /home/linuxfaq/myfile

4.0K   /home/linuxfaq/.bash_profile

44M    /home/linuxfaq/


12. Option: --time
 
 du -ah --time /home/linuxfaq


4.0K   2015-04-22 12:12    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.suse

4.0K   2013-09-06 20:57    /home/linuxfaq/myfile/init-script.debian.in

1.4M   2015-04-22 12:26    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

4.0K   2014-09-26 07:23    /home/linuxfaq/.bash_profile

44M    2015-05-02 14:26    /home/linuxfaq/ 


Displays all files with time of the last usage or modification in the directory, or any of its subdirectories

13. Option: --max-depth=1

The "--max-depth=1" Shows report for one level deep The space for all folders below that level are still counted,
 
 du --max-depth=1 /home/linuxfaq/


4912    /home/linuxfaq/ubuntu

38580   /home/linuxfaq/scripts

1340    /home/linuxfaq/myfile

44864   /home/linuxfaq/