Ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage) is a terminal-based disk usage analyzer that helps users find large files and directories. It provides an interactive alternative to examining lengthy output from the traditional du command.
The application is particularly useful for remote system administration. A user connected to a server through SSH can inspect directory sizes and move through the filesystem without needing a graphical desktop. Ncdu can also be used on local systems where a quick overview of storage consumption is required.
After scanning a directory tree, Ncdu presents its contents in a navigable list. Directory sizes, percentages and graphical indicators make it easier to distinguish large storage consumers from smaller files. Users can inspect nested directories and return to their parent directories without launching another scan for each location.
The software also supports exporting scan results, allowing directory information to be examined later or transferred between systems.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Interactive terminal interface for exploring directory sizes and file usage.
- Navigate directory hierarchies using keyboard controls.
- Sort entries by size, name and other available criteria.
- Display relative disk usage as percentages, graphical bars or both.
- Switch between allocated disk usage and apparent file sizes.
- Identify files with multiple hard links and account for shared storage.
- Exclude specified directories and patterns during scans.
- Restrict scanning to a single filesystem.
- Parallel directory scanning with configurable thread counts.
- Export and import scan results using JSON.
- Binary export format with compression and support for very large directory trees.
- Display file and directory information, including item counts.
- Delete selected files or directories after confirmation.
- Customisable display settings, including colour schemes.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux and macOS.
Website: dev.yorhel.nl/ncdu
Support:
Developer: Yoran Heling
License: MIT License
ncdu is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Disk Usage Utilities | |
|---|---|
| QDirStat | Excellent Qt-based directory statistics |
| Filelight | Creates an interactive map to visualise disk usage |
| Baobab | Also known as Disk Usage Analyser |
| agedu | Utility for tracking down wasted disk space |
| SquirrelDisk | Bills itself as "the easiest app you will ever use to detect huge files" |
| K4DirStat | KDE Directory Statistics sums up disk usage for directory trees |
| Krusader | File manager with built-in disk usage functionality |
| SpaceMan | Treemap disk usage analyzer |
| xdiskusage | Light and frugal utility |
| MX Cleanup | GUI for system cleanup and maintenance |
| crossdirstat | File and directory statistics written using Electron |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| du alternatives | Programming Language | License |
|---|---|---|
| dust | Rust | Apache License 2.0 |
| duf | Go | MIT License |
| Duc | C | GNU Lesser General Public License v3 |
| Ncdu | C | GNU GPL v2.0 License |
| gdu | Go | MIT License |
| cull | Go | MIT License |
| dua | Rust | MIT License |
| erdtree | Rust | MIT License |
| pdu | Rust | Apache License 2.0 |
| vizex | Python | MIT License |
| godu | Go | MIT License |
| dutree | Rust | GNU General Public License v3 |
| space | Rust | MIT License |
| darya | Rust | GNU General Public License v3.0 |
| diskus | Rust | MIT License or Apache License 2.0 |
| NoxDir | Go | MIT License |
| mcdu | Rust | MIT License |
| dirstat-rs | Rust | MIT License |
| diskonaut | Rust | MIT License |
| bonsai | C++ | GNU General Public License v3.0 |
| diskard | Rust | MIT License or Apache License 2.0 |
| cdu | Perl | GNU General Public License v2.0 |
| tdu | Go | GNU General Public License v2 |
| duviz | Python | MIT License |
| dut | C | GNU General Public License v3.0 |
| whalespotter | Rust | MIT License |
| sn | Rust | BSD 3-Clause “New” or “Revised” License |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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