Frequently asked questions for Linux file systems

How to compare two directories and find the differences

Learn how to compare two directories on a Linux systems and see their differences between both or what files they are having in common.

How to display directory contents sorted by modification time

Learn how to sort the output of the ls command and list a directory contents by its modification time. Here is which options to use.

How to find symbolic links that point to a directory

Symbolic links may point to a directory or a file. Learn how to use the find command to discover symbolic links that refer to a directory.

How to find the biggest directories on disk

Find the biggest directories and files on disk by using the du command. The output can be sorted using numeric values to find the biggest entries.

How to find when the last modification happened in a directory

Linux filesystems typically store file modification timestamps. Learn how to find the last modification time of a file or subdirectory in a specified directory.

How to find writable files

Use the find command to search for any files on Linux that are writable. To make this work, the -perm option of find can be used.

How to monitor disk activity (I/O) on Linux

Got a busy Linux systems and wondering what the culprit is? Learn how to monitor them and focus on disk activity with tools like iotop, sar, vmstat, or iostat.

How to securely delete a file and its contents

Need to delete the contents of a sensitive file on Linux? Instead of just deleting it with rm, have a look at some other options for a more secure deletion.

How to see files greater than a specific size

Learn how to see files smaller or bigger than a specific defined size on Linux, using the du command. Or use the find command to achieve a similar result.

How to see hidden files

Files starting with a dot are usually hidden on Linux. Learn how to see any hidden files on the command line or in the terminal using the ls command.

How to see inode usage

Linux file systems use inodes, unique references to link to a file or directory. Learn how to see inode usage on a Linux file system or mount point.

How to see the creation date of a file

Linux may store the initial creation of a file. Learn how to use the stat command to find this initial creation time of a file, also known as its birth time.

How to see the file type on Linux

The file command is a powerful tool for Linux users. Learn how to see the file type of normal and special files on a Linux system.

How to see the size of a directory

Disks will eventually fill up. Learn how to quickly see the size of a directory or folder on Linux systems using the du command.

How to see the size of a file

File systems on Linux store a lot more than just the data itself. Learn how to see the size of a file on Linux systems using the ls or stat command.

How to see used and free disk space

Learn how to see used and remaining disk space on Linux systems by gathering the statistics of file systems and mount points using the df command.