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agedu
What it is
agedu is a free, MIT-licensed utility that scans a directory tree and links disk usage with file last-access times. It helps identify large data that has gone unused, but cannot determine whether that data is safe to delete. It can create text and HTML reports or serve navigable HTML reports through a small web server. In HTML reports, colours distinguish disused data in red from recently accessed data in green. Text reports can be limited to files that have not been accessed within a chosen period. Scan options can cross filesystem boundaries and include, exclude or prune files and directories. Results can be written as text on one machine and loaded into an index on another, including across different CPU architectures. Index files receive restrictive permissions because they may reveal confidential filesystem details. By default, the built-in web server uses Linux user-based access checks or HTTP Basic authentication when those checks are unavailable. CGI mode has no access control of its own, so access restrictions are left to the web server. agedu runs on Linux; there is no native Windows port, though a separate Windows scan utility can create a dump for loading on Unix.
For and against
For
- Free and distributed under the MIT licence
- Reports connect disk usage with last-access times
- Text reports can filter by access age
- Scan results can transfer between different CPU architectures
Against
- No native Windows port
- Cannot determine whether files are safe to delete
- CGI mode has no built-in access control
The verdict
agedu helps narrow down where unused storage may be located, with text and browser-readable reports. Users must judge for themselves whether any identified data can safely be removed.
Who it suits
agedu suits Linux users who want to locate large, potentially unused files through access-time reports. It may also suit people who need to transfer scan results between machines.
Plans and prices
agedu
MIT-licensed Unix utility; source archive available
Read 7 Oct 2026 · chiark.greenend.org.uk
On the record
- Age filtering
- Text reports can show only files that have not been accessed for a chosen age, such as six months.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Application sizes
- Nochiark.greenend.org.uk · read 23 Sep 2026
- Custom scans
- Scan options can cross filesystem boundaries and include, exclude, or prune files and directories.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Data transfer
- Scan results can be dumped as text on one machine and loaded into an index on another, including across differing CPU architectures.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Exportable reports
- Yeschiark.greenend.org.uk · read 23 Sep 2026
- File-type breakdown
- Nochiark.greenend.org.uk · read 23 Sep 2026
- License
- agedu is distributed under the MIT licence and is free to copy, redistribute, use, and reuse.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Limit
- agedu identifies promising places to investigate but cannot determine whether data is truly safe to delete.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Scans a directory tree and correlates disk usage with file last-access times to help identify large, disused data.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Reports
- Generates text and HTML reports, or serves navigable HTML reports through a miniature web server.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Scan scope
- files_folderschiark.greenend.org.uk · read 23 Sep 2026
- Security
- Index files are created with restrictive permissions because they may reveal confidential information about the scanned filesystem.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Security limitation
- CGI mode performs no access control and leaves restricting access to the web server.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Status and support
- The maker says it has had a small amount of beta testing, invites bug reports by email, and welcomes patches.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Treemap view
- Nochiark.greenend.org.uk · read 23 Sep 2026
- Visualisation
- HTML reports use colours from red for disused data to green for recently accessed data.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Web access control
- The built-in web server defaults to Linux user-based access checks or HTTP Basic authentication with an invented password when those checks are unavailable.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- agedu has no native Windows port; a separate Windows scan utility can create a dump for loading into agedu on a Unix machine.chiark.greenend.org.uk · read 7 Oct 2026
