Linux / Server

No space left on device (ENOSPC)

The disk (or the inode table) is full, so the write failed.

What it looks like

Error: ENOSPC: no space left on device, write
write /var/lib/docker/tmp/GetImageBlob123: no space left on device

What does "No space left on device (ENOSPC)" mean?

Reported by the operating system when a write fails because the filesystem is full — either out of bytes or out of inodes (the entries that track files). Apps then fail in odd ways: databases refuse writes, logs stop, uploads break.

What causes "No space left on device (ENOSPC)"?

• The partition is out of free space.
• Logs/temp files filled the disk.
• Out of inodes (many tiny files).

How do I confirm the cause?

1. Run df -h to see which filesystem is full, and df -i to check inodes.
2. Find what is using space: du -xh / --max-depth=2 | sort -h shows the biggest folders.
3. Check the usual suspects: log files, /tmp, old releases, Docker images and volumes (docker system df), and package caches.

How do I fix "No space left on device (ENOSPC)"?

• Check usage with df -h (space) and df -i (inodes).
• Delete/rotate large logs and old files.
• Grow the volume if it's legitimately full.

How do I stop it happening again?

• Rotate and compress logs (logrotate), and clean up old builds and Docker images on a schedule.
• Alert on disk usage (for example at 80%) instead of finding out when writes fail.

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