How to Check File Size in Linux Using ls, du, and stat Commands

In Linux you can use several commands to view file size. Below are three commonly used commands.

1. Using ls command

The ls command lists files and directories. To see file size, use the -l option. Example:

ls -l filename

Replace filename with the target file. For example:

ls -l example.txt

This displays detailed information including size in bytes.

2. Using du command

The du command estimates directory size; with -h it shows human‑readable sizes for a single file. Example:

du -h filename

Replace filename with the target file. For example:

du -h example.txt

This outputs the size in KB, MB, GB, etc.

3. Using stat command

The stat command displays detailed status information, including file size. Example:

stat filename

Replace filename with the target file. For example:

stat example.txt

This shows file size in bytes along with other metadata.