How to Accurately Check Directory Sizes on Linux with du and ls

This guide explains why ls -lh shows only the directory entry size, introduces the du command for real disk usage, details its most useful options, and provides step‑by‑step examples for measuring directory sizes on a Linux system.

BashFilesystemLinux

0 likes · 8 min read

How to Accurately Check Directory Sizes on Linux with du and ls

Liangxu Linux

May 25, 2021 · Operations

How to Accurately Measure Directory Sizes on Linux with du

This guide explains why the ls command shows a fixed 4 KB size for directories, introduces the du (disk usage) utility, and provides step‑by‑step examples for obtaining total, per‑directory, per‑file, and cumulative size information using various du options.

LinuxShellcommand-line

0 likes · 8 min read

How to Accurately Measure Directory Sizes on Linux with du