dua review

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

dua is an MIT-licensed, open-source command-line disk-usage analyzer for developers and other users who want to inspect directory sizes from a terminal. It runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows, and supports both aggregate reporting and interactive exploration. The tool is particularly suited to development environments where Git-related build artifacts and caches can consume space, while its broader directory scanning also fits general file-and-folder analysis.

Its strongest differentiator is the combination of parallel scanning and interactive cleanup. Users can explore files and directories through a terminal interface, then interactively delete or trash unwanted content. Git-aware cleanup discovery targets common development artifacts and caches, while Gitignore-style path exclusion patterns help narrow scans. Depth-limited tree output supports compact inspection, and folded stack output plus SVG flame-graph generation gives technical users additional ways to analyze disk usage or export visual data for flame-graph tools.

The trade-off is a deliberately focused, terminal-first experience. dua does not provide a graphical treemap, application-size reporting, or file-type grouping, so users seeking visual browsing or software inventory should choose a broader graphical analyzer instead. There is also no explicit external-drive scanning feature. For developers comfortable with command-line workflows, its cross-platform availability, open-source license, parallel scans, and cleanup-oriented features make it a practical fit. Users who prioritize a polished desktop interface, application-level reporting, or wider visual integrations should look elsewhere.

dua pros and cons

• Where it wins
  • Parallel scans speed directory disk-usage analysis
  • Git-aware cleanup finds common build artifacts and caches
  • Interactive deletion, exclusions, and SVG flame-graph output
• Where it doesn't
  • Command-line and terminal interfaces may not suit GUI-focused users
  • No graphical treemap or application-size reporting
  • No explicit external-drive scanning feature

dua fact sheet, pricing and score →

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update