du -sh Explained¶

Introduction¶

This article explains a common du usage that administrators and learners often need to understand clearly.

What This Command Means¶

The command performs this specific task with du:

du -sh /var/log

Breaking Down the Command¶

• du is the command being run.
• The options or arguments decide the behavior.
• The final value is the target, such as a file, process, service, package, host, URL, or directory.

Practical Examples¶

du -sh /var/log
du -h --max-depth=1 /var
df -h /var

Example output:

1.4G    /var/log

When to Use It¶

Use du when you need to find which directories or files are consuming space inside a filesystem. It complements df during disk-full troubleshooting.

Common Mistakes¶

• Running du across huge trees without limiting depth.
• Comparing du and df without considering deleted open files.
• Forgetting -x when you want to stay on one filesystem.

Safer Alternatives¶

Inspect before changing state when possible:

df -h /var

For wider changes, test on a small target before using the command broadly.

Related Guides¶

• What is du?
• du examples
• du Find Large Directories
• du interview questions

Summary¶

Understanding du -sh is about knowing what each part does and checking the final state after running it.