dust

dust is a command-line disk-usage tool for people who want a clearer view of what is filling a drive. Its tree layout and filters suit terminal users tracing large files through nested folders; those who need a graphical map or application-size reports should look elsewhere.

Overview

Built in Rust as a more intuitive alternative to du, dust arranges large files and subdirectories in a hierarchy, with colored bars showing disk usage. Seeing size alongside folder structure helps trace where space is accumulating without losing the relationship between a large directory and its contents. The trade-off is a terminal-centered view: dust has no treemap and does not report application sizes.

Key features

Regular-expression filters can include or exclude matching files, and a minimum-size option can hide smaller items. These controls help narrow a scan when a directory contains more detail than is useful. Output options can show only files or directories, group results by file type, and change size units. Grouping helps surface which file types occupy space, while exportable reports make results available beyond the immediate terminal view.

A screen-reader option removes bars and symbols and adds a depth-level column. That gives the hierarchy a text-based structure for readers who cannot rely on the visual cues in the default display.

Pricing

dust is free. Its dust plan costs nothing and includes the command-line disk-usage tool under the Apache-2.0 license. There is no paid tier to compare; the plan's focused scope means it is best suited to users who need disk-usage analysis rather than application-size reporting or a graphical treemap.

Platforms

dust supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. Installation options include Cargo, Homebrew, DNF, Snap, mise, Pacstall, conda-forge, deb-get, x-cmd, and Scoop, with downloadable release packages for all three platforms, including architecture-specific builds. Snap has a meaningful restriction: it can access only files stored in /home. Users who need to inspect other locations should account for that when choosing an installation method. The v1.2.6 release page provides SHA-256 checksums for its downloadable assets, and GitHub Issues and Discussions are available for project support.

Who it's for

dust is a good fit for terminal users who want to locate large files and folders, narrow results with filters, or group usage by file type. The screen-reader option also offers a more structured text view. Users who prefer a graphical disk map or need application sizes should choose another kind of analyzer.

Pros and cons

Pros

• The tree and colored bars connect disk usage to folder hierarchy, making large directories easier to investigate than a flat total.
• Regular-expression filters and a minimum-size threshold let users focus on relevant files.
• File-only, directory-only, file-type grouping, and unit options adapt the output to different questions.
• The screen-reader option replaces visual bars and symbols with a depth-level column.
• Free use under the Apache-2.0 license and packages for Linux, macOS, and Windows keep it accessible across common desktop platforms.

Cons

• It is a command-line tool, so users seeking a graphical disk map will need another option.
• It does not show application sizes.
• The Snap installation is confined to files in /home.

Alternatives

For other options in the category, browse Disk Space Analyzers. The other linked products cover different categories: SkyEmu, 3Beans, melonDS, MindSpark, DeSmuME, GB Enhanced+, Delta, and iDroidDS.

Verdict

Choose dust if you want a free, cross-platform terminal tool that connects large disk-usage totals to their files and folders, with filters and flexible output to focus the search. Look elsewhere if a graphical treemap or application-size reporting is central to your cleanup workflow.