The K Desktop Environment

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1. Introduction

1.1 What is it?

KDirStat (for KDE Directory Statistics) is a small utility program that sums up disk usage for direcory trees - very much like the Unix 'du' command.

But unlike 'du', it tries to do that in a structured, comprehensive manner. It tries to provide the information you are looking for - exactly where all your disk space has gone when that dreaded 'no space left on device' message shows up again. Or when your system administrator asks you to clean up your home directory. Or when you are that system administrator trying to figure out which one of your users filled up that supposedly huge disk up to capacity.

What you are really interested in is usually which subdirectory (including all subdirectories) of a given directory tree uses up how many percent (or Mega/Gigabyte) of that tree. Once you know that, you want to descend those subdirectories that use up most space and find out which of those sub-subdirectories use up most space etc. - until you find stuff you can get rid of (archive to tape, compress, delete) or you have to admit you'll have to order another hard disk.

Ordering hard disks is not something KDirStat can help you with. But cleaning up is. KDirStat provides some built-in cleanup facilities as well as the ability to include your own cleanup commands or scripts.

1.2 Screen Shot

But, like a professor of mine used to say, it is pointless trying to explain what an elephant is with a lot of words. Just show the elephant and everybody will get the idea. So here it is:

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