How to Get Storage Space on the Linux Terminal

As a Linux user, it's essential to keep track of your system's storage space to ensure you have enough room for your files, programs, and operating system. One way to check the available storage space on your Linux system is by using the terminal. In this article, we will guide you on how to get the storage space on the Linux terminal.

Using the df Command

The df command is a widely used command in Linux to check the available disk space. It stands for "disk free" and provides a detailed report of the disk usage. To use the df command, follow these steps:

1. Open the terminal on your Linux system.


2. Type the command df and press Enter.


3. The terminal will display a list of all the mounted filesystems, including their total size, used space, available space, and percentage of used space.

The output of the df command will look something like this:

Filesystem      1K-blocks       Used  Available Use% Mounted on

udev             1953128          0   1953128   0% /dev

tmpfs             392828      1688    391140   1% /run

/dev/sda1       48383116  14451516  31365100  32% /

tmpfs            1964144          0   1964144   0% /dev/shm

tmpfs               5120          0      5120   0% /run/lock

tmpfs            1964144          0   1964144   0% /sys/fs/cgroup

/dev/sda5       14282528   4286696   9005824  32% /home

Using the df -h Command

The df command displays the disk usage in bytes, which can be difficult to read. To make it easier to understand, you can use the -h option, which stands for "human-readable." This option displays the disk usage in a more readable format, such as gigabytes (GB) or megabytes (MB).

To use the df -h command, follow these steps:

1. Open the terminal on your Linux system.


2. Type the command df -h and press Enter.


3. The terminal will display a list of all the mounted filesystems, including their total size, used space, available space, and percentage of used space, in a human-readable format.

The output of the df -h command will look something like this:

Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on

udev            1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev

tmpfs           383M  1.7M  382M   1% /run

/dev/sda1       46G   14G   30G  32% /

tmpfs           1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev/shm

tmpfs           5.0M     0  5.0M   0% /run/lock

tmpfs           1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup

/dev/sda5       14G  4.2G  8.8G  32% /home

Using the du Command

The du command is used to estimate the disk usage of a file or directory. To use the du command, follow these steps:

1. Open the terminal on your Linux system.


2. Type the command du -h followed by the path of the file or directory you want to check.


3. Press Enter to execute the command.

For example, to check the disk usage of the /home directory, you can use the following command:

du -h /home

This will display the total disk usage of the /home directory and all its subdirectories.

Conclusion

In conclusion, checking the storage space on your Linux system is a straightforward process that can be done using the terminal. The df command provides a detailed report of the disk usage, while the du command estimates the disk usage of a file or directory. By using these commands, you can easily keep track of your system's storage space and ensure you have enough room for your files and programs.

For more information on Linux commands and how to use them, you can visit the Linux Commands website, which provides a comprehensive guide to Linux commands and their usage.

By following these steps and using the commands mentioned above, you can easily get the storage space on your Linux terminal and keep your system running smoothly.