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No space left on device on Ubuntu
=================================

### [\#Hosting](https://rocketeersapp.com/knowledge/hosting)

This error means a filesystem is full, or out of inodes. Here is how to find what is eating the disk and reclaim it safely without breaking your server.

 Published by [Mark van Eijk](https://rocketeersapp.com/author/mark-van-eijk) on June 23, 2026 · 1 minute read

1. [About the error](#content-about-the-error)
2. [Find what's full](#content-find-whats-full)
3. [Common culprits and fixes](#content-common-culprits-and-fixes)
4. [Systemd journal logs](#content-systemd-journal-logs)
5. [Application and web server logs](#content-application-and-web-server-logs)
6. [Package cache](#content-package-cache)
7. [Old kernels and Docker](#content-old-kernels-and-docker)

[\#](#content-about-the-error "Permalink")About the error
---------------------------------------------------------

You'll see it from almost any program that tries to write:

 ```
write error: No space left on device

```

It means the filesystem you're writing to is full. Occasionally the disk has free bytes but has run out of **inodes** (the structures that track files), which produces the same message.

[\#](#content-find-whats-full "Permalink")Find what's full
----------------------------------------------------------

Start with a summary of disk usage per filesystem:

 ```
df -h

```

If a filesystem shows 100% but you can't see why, check inodes too:

 ```
df -i

```

Then find the biggest directories on the full filesystem:

 ```
sudo du -h --max-depth=1 / | sort -hr | head -20

```

Drill down into whichever directory is largest by repeating `du` one level deeper.

[\#](#content-common-culprits-and-fixes "Permalink")Common culprits and fixes
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

### [\#](#content-systemd-journal-logs "Permalink")Systemd journal logs

The journal under `/var/log/journal` can quietly grow to gigabytes. Trim it:

 ```
sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=7d
# or cap by size
sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=200M

```

Cap it permanently in `/etc/systemd/journald.conf`:

 ```
SystemMaxUse=200M

```

### [\#](#content-application-and-web-server-logs "Permalink")Application and web server logs

A runaway log file (nginx, Laravel, a stuck cron) is a classic cause. Truncate it in place rather than deleting it, so the writing process keeps its file handle:

 ```
sudo truncate -s 0 /var/log/nginx/error.log

```

Set up `logrotate` so it can't happen again.

### [\#](#content-package-cache "Permalink")Package cache

On a server that's been updated a lot, the apt cache reclaims gigabytes:

 ```
sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoremove --purge

```

### [\#](#content-old-kernels-and-docker "Permalink")Old kernels and Docker

Old kernels and unused Docker images/volumes are frequent space hogs:

 ```
sudo apt autoremove --purge   # removes old kernels
docker system prune -a        # if you run Docker

```

For more cleanup ideas see [reclaiming disk space on Ubuntu](/reclaim-diskspace-on-ubuntu). If the disk filled because of swap or you have none, see [adding swap space on Ubuntu](/add-swap-space-on-ubuntu).

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