fst — File System Statistics Utility

fst is a compact utility for quickly gathering file system statistics.
Implemented in C, lean and standalone, with no external dependencies when statically linked via musl, or minimal dynamic linking with glibc.

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Features

• Recursive directory traversal
• Count files and directories (empty/non-empty)
• File type classification:
  • Text files
  • Binary files
  • Script files
  • Large files (>100MB)
• File size statistics:
  • Minimum, maximum, and average sizes
  • Human-readable format support
• File dates:
  • Oldest and newest files
• Links:
  • Symbolic and hard links
• Executable files
• Fully autonomous in static mode (musl)

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Why fst?

fst was designed with efficiency, portability, and clarity in mind. Unlike scripts or combinations of standard utilities, fst provides a single, coherent tool for comprehensive file system statistics:

1. Lean and fast
   Implemented in C with minimal runtime overhead, fst executes quickly even on resource-constrained systems such as ARM devices.

2. Portable and autonomous
   Static compilation via musl ensures the binary runs on any compatible Linux system without external dependencies, supporting both x86_64 and ARM architectures.

3. Comprehensive yet simple
   Combines multiple common statistics—file types, sizes, dates, links, executables—into one tool, eliminating the need for complex shell pipelines.

4. Designed for automation
   The tool is suitable for scripting, monitoring, and automated reports, making it practical for both personal and professional workflows.

5. GNU-friendly philosophy
   fst respects the Unix philosophy of small, composable utilities: it does one job well, can be easily integrated into scripts or pipelines, and complements existing GNU tools rather than replacing them.

By combining efficiency, portability, and simplicity, fst fills a niche for developers and sysadmins who need quick, reliable insights into their file systems without the overhead of multiple utilities.

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Installation

Compile a static binary via musl (recommended)

sudo apt install musl-tools
musl-gcc -static -O2 -o fst fst.c

Compile a dynamic binary via glibc

gcc -O2 -o fst fst.c

Make fst available system-wide

sudo cp fst /usr/local/bin/

After this, you can run fst from any directory:

fst -a -h

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Usage

fst [directory] [options]

If no directory is specified, fst automatically scans the current directory ..

Example: scan current directory with full statistics in human-readable format:

fst -a -h

Example: scan another directory:

fst /home/user/projects -a -h

Options

Short Long Description

-t --types Show file type statistics -s --size Show file size statistics -p --permissions Show file permissions -d --dates Show file dates (oldest/newest) -l --links Show symbolic and hard links -v --verbose Print errors while scanning directories -h --human Human-readable file sizes -a --all Show all statistics

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Examples

1. Full statistics of the current directory, human-readable sizes:

fst -a -h

2. Only file types and sizes:

fst -t -s

3. Statistics of another directory:

fst /var/log -a

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Supported Systems

Linux x86_64 / ARM64

Statically compiled via musl for maximum portability

Dynamically compiled via glibc also supported

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License

fst is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 (LGPL-3.0). See https://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html for details.

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Author: Ferki