df command

Linux systems, beloved for their stability and flexibility, also require regular monitoring to ensure they run efficiently. Among the most critical aspects of system monitoring is analyzing disk usage to manage resources effectively. Two of the command-line utilities designed for this purpose are df (disk filesystem) and du (disk usage). In this article, we'll learn how to utilize these tools effectively across different Linux distributions, and how to ensure you have them installed using various package managers like apt, dnf, and zypper. Both df and du are typically pre-installed in most Linux distributions, but in case they're not, or you face any issues with the versions installed, you can always reinstall or update them.

When managing a Linux or Unix-based system, knowing how to check the available disk space and understand how much space each file and directory is using can be very beneficial. This is particularly important as your system stores more data; keeping an eye on your disk utilization is key to ensuring that your system runs smoothly without running out of disk space unexpectedly. Two powerful, commonly used command-line tools that can help you monitor disk usage are df and du. The df tool stands for "disk free" and is used to display the amount of available disk space for file systems on which the system has mounted file systems. This tool is very straightforward and provides a snapshot of current disk usage with several useful options.