Basis of presentation and accounting policies - Impairment, Goodwill, Balance sheet detail (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Feb. 03, 2023	Jan. 28, 2022	Jan. 29, 2021
Impairment of long-lived assets
Minimum period for which stores are open to be reviewed for impairment	3 years
Impairment charges included in SG&A expense	$ 2,100	$ 2,600	$ 2,700
Impairment, Long-Lived Asset, Held-for-Use, Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible Enumeration]	Selling, General and Administrative Expense	Selling, General and Administrative Expense	Selling, General and Administrative Expense
Goodwill and other intangible assets
Impairment of intangible assets	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Compensation and benefits	214,472	215,355
Self-insurance reserves	136,911	127,719
Taxes (other than taxes on income)	296,343	324,438
Other	389,193	381,627
Toal other accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,036,919	1,049,139
Other liabilities
Self-insurance reserves	$ 137,800	$ 129,700
Maximum initial term for leases not recorded on the balance sheet	12 months

Represents the minimum period for which stores are open to be reviewed for impairment.

No definition available.

Name:	dg_AssetImpairmentMinimumPeriodForWhichStoresAreOpen
Namespace Prefix:	dg_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum term of lessee's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dg_LesseeOperatingLeaseTermOfContractMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	dg_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the Balance Sheet date of obligations incurred and payable for sales, use, payroll, excise, real, property and other taxes, other than income taxes. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dg_TaxesPayableOtherThanIncomeTaxCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	dg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetImpairmentChargesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total loss recognized during the period from the impairment of goodwill plus the loss recognized in the period resulting from the impairment of the carrying amount of intangible assets, other than goodwill.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates line item in statement of income or comprehensive income that includes impairment of long-lived asset held for use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentLongLivedAssetHeldForUseStatementOfIncomeOrComprehensiveIncomeExtensibleEnumeration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	enum2:enumerationSetItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long lived assets held for use (including those held for disposal by means other than sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126954810&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126905981&loc=d3e2420-110228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwillAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other, due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of accrued known and estimated losses incurred as of the balance sheet date for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property that are expected to be paid within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserveCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of accrued known and estimated losses incurred as of the balance sheet date for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property that are expected to be paid after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserveNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant