ncdu as a Linux alternative to WinDirStat
Updated
Our verdict
ncdu is a solid replacement for WinDirStat if you are comfortable using a terminal. It excels at speed and low resource usage, making it ideal for large drives. However, it lacks the visual treemap that many WinDirStat users rely on for quick visual identification of large files. It is best for users who prefer keyboard-driven navigation and do not need to delete files directly from the interface. If visual representation is critical, consider GUI alternatives like Baobab or Dusty, but for pure performance and simplicity, ncdu is the standard choice.
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 2.11.1
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Interactive tree view for navigating directory structures
- Sorts directories by size to highlight largest consumers
- Fast scanning performance suitable for large partitions
- Open-source software with active maintenance
What is different
- No visual treemap; ncdu uses a text-based list instead
- Cannot delete or move files directly within the interface
- Lacks grouped statistics by file extension
- Requires a terminal emulator to run
Opening your WinDirStat files
ncdu does not open WinDirStat files (.txt or .dat). It saves its own scan results in a binary format specific to ncdu. You cannot import existing WinDirStat data into ncdu, nor can you export ncdu results in a format that WinDirStat can read. If you need to share data between the two, you would have to manually copy file paths and sizes, which is not practical.
Switching from WinDirStat to ncdu, step by step
- Install ncdu via your package manager (e.g., sudo apt install ncdu).
- Run ncdu on the target directory (e.g., ncdu /).
- Use arrow keys to navigate and press 's' to sort by size.
- Press 'e' to export the current scan to a file for later review.
- Note that you must use standard file management tools to delete identified large files.
Key features of ncdu
- Interactive tree view of directory sizes
- Sorts directories by size by default
- Fast scanning with low memory footprint
- Supports analyzing remote directories via SSH
- Can save and load scan results for later review
- Keyboard-driven navigation without mouse
- Shows file count and total size per directory
- Runs in any standard terminal emulator
How to install ncdu on Linux
sudo apt install ncdusudo apt install ncdusudo dnf install ncdusudo pacman -S ncdusudo zypper install ncduFrequently asked questions
Can I delete files directly in ncdu?
No, ncdu is read-only. You must identify the file in ncdu and then delete it using a file manager or command-line tools like rm.
Is ncdu faster than WinDirStat?
Generally, yes. ncdu is designed for low memory footprint and fast scanning, often outperforming GUI tools on large datasets.
Does ncdu work over SSH?
Yes, ncdu can analyze remote directories via SSH, which is a feature WinDirStat does not have natively.
