The Linux “du” command is used to estimate the disk space usage of files and directories. It displays the size of each file and directory in a specified location, including the total size of the directory. The command can be used with various options to display the output in different formats, such as in human-readable format or in a sorted list. It is a useful tool for managing disk space and identifying large files or directories that may be taking up too much space.. Keep reading below to learn how to linux du in python.

Looking to get a head start on your next software interview? Pickup a copy of the best book to prepare: Cracking The Coding Interview!

Buy Now On Amazon

Linux ‘du’ in Python With Example Code

If you’re working with Linux and Python, you may find yourself needing to use the “du” command to get the disk usage of a file or directory. Fortunately, Python has a built-in module called “subprocess” that allows you to run shell commands from within your Python code.

Here’s an example of how to use the “du” command in Python:

import subprocess
result = subprocess.run(['du', '-sh', '/path/to/file'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
print(result.stdout.decode('utf-8'))

Let’s break down what’s happening here:

  • We import the “subprocess” module.
  • We use the “run” function to run the “du” command with the “-sh” flag (which tells “du” to display the size in a human-readable format) and the path to the file or directory we want to check.
  • We pass the “stdout=subprocess.PIPE” argument to capture the output of the command.
  • We use the “decode” method to convert the output from bytes to a string.
  • We print the output.

And that’s it! With just a few lines of code, you can use the “du” command in Python to get the disk usage of a file or directory.

Equivalent of linux du in python

In conclusion, the equivalent of the Linux “du” command in Python is a powerful tool for managing disk space and analyzing file sizes. With the “os” and “os.path” modules, Python provides a simple and efficient way to calculate the size of files and directories. By using the “os.walk” function, we can easily traverse through directories and subdirectories to get a comprehensive view of the disk usage. Additionally, the “humanize” module can be used to convert the file sizes into a more readable format. Overall, the Python equivalent of the “du” command is a valuable tool for developers and system administrators alike, providing a flexible and customizable solution for managing disk space.

Contact Us