WinDirStat is a free and open-source graphical disk usage analyzer for Microsoft Windows. It presents a sub-tree view with disk-use percentage alongside a usage-sorted list of file extensions that is interactively integrated with a colorful graphical display (a treemap).[1][2][3] Created as an open-source project released under the GNU GPL, it was developed using Visual C++/MFC and distributed using GitHub. The project was inspired by SequoiaView, an application based on research done by the Visualization Section of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.[4][5]
 | |
 WinDirStat 2.0.1 | |
| Developer(s) | Bernhard Seifertm, Oliver Schneider, Bryan Berns |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1 October 2003 |
| Stable release | 2.0.1
/ 15 October 2024 |
| Repository | |
| Operating system | Windows |
| Size | 4.5 MB |
| Type | Disk space analyzer |
| License | GNU GPLv2 |
| Website | windirstat |
Popularity
editWinDirStat was downloaded more than 9 million times from the official source since its original release in October 2003 thru 2011.[6] As of August 2024, it was the third most downloaded "Filesystems" software on SourceForge, with more than 54,000 downloads per week.[7]
Project status
editAs of early 2024, the project has been very active and released its first new version after many years.[8]
Source code
editSource code is provided for all released versions on the GitHub page in ZIP format.
WinDirStat is developed via Git revision control.
Features
edit- List of detected file extensions, and the percentage of space each file extension takes up.
- Each extension has its own color on the graphical map.
- Is able to scan internal, external and networked drives.
- Portable version besides the installer.
- User-created clean up jobs.
- Send report via email.
Version history
edit| Version | Date | Information |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0.1 | October 2024 | Performance enhancements, duplicate file detection, visual enhancements, and more cleanup features. |
| 1.1.2 (#2) | September 2007 | Added translations: Finnish, Dutch, Russian, Estonian |
| 1.1.2 (#1) | September 2006 | Spanish, Hungarian, Italian, and Czech translations. Minor optimization |
| 1.1.1 | January 2005 | "Christmas Release" Pacman replaces progress bar, Polish translation, localization tweaks, documentation updates, bugfixes |
| 1.1.0 | January 2004 | Added French translation, feature tweaks, bugfixes |
| 1.0.1 | December 2003 | Bugfixes, added more display columns, added drive selection dialog |
| 1.0.0 | October 2003 | First release. 1.0.0 README states: Design and many details are based on KDirStat (kdirstat.sourceforge.net). WinDirStat is "a KDirStat re-programmed for MS Windows". |
Media reception
editFossHub (official download mirror of WinDirStat) reported 6,912,000 downloads in January 2019, being the most downloaded software from "Disk Analysers" category."[9]
Steve Bass of PC World provided a brief review of the 1.1.2 release of WinDirStat, summarizing its usefulness: "Windirstat is [a] colorful and nifty tool to check the makeup of your hard drive -- especially if you're looking for immense files. It scans your drive and produces a treemap that shows each file as a colored rectangle that's proportional to the file's size..."[10]
In 2006, WinDirStat was "Download of the day" on Lifehacker. Reviewer Adam Pash praised WinDirStat for its ability to easily clean up unnecessary files, by stating: "If you find a large file or two taking up loads of space that you had forgotten was there and don't need, it's easy to clean up directly from WinDirStat. "
CNET reviewed the most recent release of WinDirStat and gave it 5 of 5 stars. It called WinDirStat a "great piece of freeware" and noted: "It's one of those tools that you didn't know you needed until you started using it, but once installed, it's hard to imagine life without it..."[11]
Gizmo's Freeware directory featured WinDirStat in a January 2010 list of best free disk analysis software with a 4 of 5 stars review, noting: "The open source program WinDirStat is [an] outstanding program. It uses three ways to display the disk usage: a directory list, a file extension list and a rectangular treemap. The visual presentation, overall usability and scan speed makes this a great tool to visualize disk usage."[12]
The German computer magazine c't (magazin für computertechnik) published a review of WinDirStat with it bundled in a CD in October 2006.[13]
In 2011, Jack Wallen from TechRepublic called WinDirStat: "one of those simple little apps you are going to be very thankful you have when you need it." He also highlighted its usability: "If space is an issue ... you will see just how much time this tool can save you." However, Jack Wallen criticized the documentation, stating: "The biggest issue with WinDirStat is the documentation. The minute you try to create your own user-configured cleanup routines you will quickly experience a complete lack of documentation, which makes the task rather challenging, if not impossible."[14]
References
edit- ^ Yegulalp, Serdar (2010-03-10). "Top free troubleshooting tools for Windows". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on 2010-03-23.
- ^ "Disk Space Analyzer: WinDirStat". Maximum PC: PC Fix-It Guide. Future US: 56. Summer 2007. ISSN 1522-4279.
- ^ Immler, Christian (2005). Windows XP Professional. Franzis. p. 247. ISBN 978-3-7723-7206-3.
- ^ Bernhard. "Background and history". WinDirStat website. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 1 Apr 2015.
- ^ "KDirStat". Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 1 Apr 2015.
- ^ "Browse WinDirStat: Windows Directory Statistics". SourceForge. Archived from the original on 2011-10-16. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ^ "Filesystems software sorted by popularity".
- ^ "Will resume development now". WinDirStat Blog. 2009-05-30. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ "Download WinDirStat - FossHub". WinDirStat FossHub page. 2019-01-12. Archived from the original on 2024-09-13. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
- ^ Bass, Steve. "Editorial Review of Windirstat". PC World. Archived from the original on 2012-07-04. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ "WinDirStat 1.1.2: CNET editors' review". CNET. Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ "Best Free Disk Analyzer". Gizmo's Freeware. 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ "WDS featured in c't". WinDirStat weblog. 2006-10-06. Archived from the original on 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
- ^ "Review: WinDirStat disk usage cleanup tool". 1 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
External links
edit