How to clear cache on Linux

In this article, we will guide you how to clear the memory cache on Linux system by clearing PageCache, dentries, and inodes from the command line.

In linux system basically we have a three different type of caches that need to be clear from linux system.

PageCache is cached files. Files that were recently accessed are stored here so they will not need to be queried from the hard disk again, unless that file changes or the cache is cleared to make room for other data

Dentry, inode cache is directory and file attributes. This information goes hand in hand with PageCache, although it doesn't contain the actual contents of any files.

Please find the below commands to clear the cache from linux device

To clear PageCache only, use this command:-

[root@localhost:~]#sysctl vm.drop_caches=1

To clear dentries and inodes, use this command:-

[root@localhost:~]#sysctl vm.drop_caches=2

To clear PageCache, plus dentries and inodes, use this command:-

[root@localhost:~]#sysctl vm.drop_caches=3

Please use free command or top to check your system's RAM usage and verify that the cache has been cleared.

Also you can use the following commands to accomplish the same thing as the respective systemctl commands:

Clear PageCache:-

[root@localhost:~]# echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches 

Clear dentries and inodes:-

[root@localhost:~]# echo 2 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches 

Clear PageCache, dentries and inodes:-

[root@localhost:~]# echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

Using above commands you can clear the cache from linux system. In case you have any query please comment on this post. Thanks!!

How to Flush Memory Cache and Buffer Cache on Linux Server

When you run the "free -m" command and get the below output, then you observe free memory section will be low value but comparatively buffers+cache value would be higher.

Now this is not a bad thing actually since your OS has reserved this memory to speed up your most used process by keeping them in the cache. But in case any new process is executed and your system is low on memory then these cache would be automatically released to make space for memory reservation of new processes.

[root@localhost]# free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          2345       1234        1145          0         24        400
-/+ buffers/cache:        664        345
Swap:         4032          0       4032

if you want to clear or free cache/buffer memory then you need to run the below command.

[root@localhost]# echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

These are the different values which you can use with the above command

echo 1 is clearing only page cache

[root@localhost]# echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

echo 2 is to clear free dentries and inodes

[root@localhost]# echo 2 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

echo 3 is clearing page cache, dentries and inodes

[root@localhost]# echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches