How to find and remove duplicate files in Linux Ubuntu Systems. Install FSlint – duplicate file finder for Linux Ubuntu. Find duplicate files in Linux Ubuntu, in different directories, by content and by name.
‘FSlint’ tool can be used to find and remove duplicate/unwanted files in Linux Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 15.04 and Derivatives.
Install fslint on Linux Ubuntu
Run the following commands to install the latest version of fslint package on Ubuntu and Debian based systems:
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install fslint
Use fslint on Linux Ubuntu
fslint has a command-line interface as well as a GUI. Once installed, you can use fslint via Terminal. Please note that you cannot open fslint application via Ubuntu Dash or Menu. It comes with an inbuilt GUI that can be opened via Terminal (see commands/screenshot below).
Note:
- Before you use the app, please have backup of every important files on your system.
- Fslint don’t delete any file automatically, it just displays the duplicates files – names and their location.
Fslint Command Line Usage
To use fslint via Command Line /Terminal commands, the application may be accessed at the location /usr/share/fslint/. Run the following command to access the application.
$ ./usr/share/fslint/fslint/fslint
By default, fslint uses /home directory for search. You can add another location other than the /home directory using the following command:
$ /usr/share/fslint/fslint/fslint /home/directory/folder
If you want to search recursively to all the sub-folders and directories, use ‘-r’:
$ /usr/share/fslint/fslint/fslint -r /home/directory/folder
fslint GUI Usage
If you feel the command line usage very difficult, you can open and use the fslint’s GUI Application. To open the fslint GUI app, run the following command in Terminal:
$ fslint-gui
As you can see from the screenshot below, you can do everything (that can be done via CLI) in the fslint GUI.
To search the duplicate files, add/remove the directories to search. If you want, select to search recursively. Once everything is set, click on ‘Find’ button. The fslint app will show the duplicate files. You can select them to delete, merge or save.