ncdu - NCurses Disk Usage

19 May 2025
linux,
cli

Disk space management is a critical task for any Linux user or administrator. Enter ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage) - an incredibly useful interactive tool that combines the functionality of commands like du and df with a user-friendly interface.

What is 'ncdu'?

ncdu is a disk usage analyzer with an NCurses interface. It provides a clear, interactive view of your directory structure and file sizes, making it easy to identify what's consuming your valuable disk space.

Key Features

Interactive interface: Navigate directories with arrow keys
Size-sorted display: Files and directories are shown in descending size order by default
Disk usage calculation: Quickly determines space usage across directories
Directory scanning: Rapidly scans and displays results as it works
Deletion capability: Remove files directly from the interface (with confirmation)
Export functionality: Save scans for later review

Basic Usage

ncdu /path/to/directory

If no path is specified, ncdu will analyze the current directory.

While using ncdu, you can:

Use arrow keys to navigate
Press Enter to explore a directory
Press d to delete the selected item
Press g to toggle between different display modes
Press q to quit

Why Choose 'ncdu'?

Unlike command-line tools like du that provide static output, ncdu offers an interactive experience that makes it significantly easier to track down space-hogging files and directories. It's particularly useful when:

Troubleshooting a "disk full" error
Performing system maintenance
Cleaning up old or unnecessary files
Analyzing disk usage patterns

Installation

On most Linux distributions, ncdu isn't installed by default, but it's readily available:

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install ncdu

# Fedora
sudo dnf install ncdu

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S ncdu

The next time you're wondering where all your disk space went, remember that ncdu offers a simple, efficient way to visualize and manage your storage resources!

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