Btrfs, the short form for “B-Tree File System,” is a Linux kernel-based, state-of-the-art file system that seeks to replace the current standard ext4 file system for Linux distributions while simultaneously providing next-generation features.
These features include acting as a RAID array manager, volume manager, and much more. Btrfs has five different multiple disk topologies that include btrfs-raid0, btrfs-raid1, btrfs-raid10, btrfs-raid5, and btrfs-raid6. Despite Btrfs entering the mainline in 2009, it wasn’t yet production-ready and continued to display scary messages to the admin. However, over the years, Btrfs has fixed many problems, but many age-old issues remain unaddressed.
Btrfs is not an Oracle project, although it was created by the founding developer, Chris Mason, who began working on it in 2007. Btrfs was accepted into the mainline Linux kernel 2.6.29 in 2009. As a single-disk filesystem, Btrfs is stable and performs well, but if users go deeper into its newer features, the ground gets shakier.
In addition to being a simple single-disk filesystem, Btrfs provides various functionalities such as multiple disk topologies, volume-managed storage, atomic copy-on-write snapshots, asynchronous incremental replication, automatic corrupt data healing, and on-disk compression. Btrfs has only one real competitor, OpenZFS, which also offers a similar feature set, but with subtle differences.
Compared to a legacy storage stack, building a system without Btrfs or ZFS requires a stack of discrete layers, and the system still lacks some of Btrfs’ theoretically compelling features. For instance, LVM offers atomic snapshots but no direct snapshot replication. Neither ext4 nor xfs offers inline compression, and mdraid can offer data healing, but it is not perfect.
However, using a legacy storage stack, it is impossible to replicate Btrfs’ entire feature set. Thus, to use all of Btrfs’ features, you need either Btrfs or OpenZFS. Nonetheless, users must keep in mind that despite Btrfs providing various features, several age-old problems remain unaddressed, and it is not yet a perfect replacement for legacy storage stacks.
The sources for this piece include an article in ArsTechnica.
Summary
Article Name
Btrfs File System: An overview
Description
Btrfs, the short form for "B-Tree File System," is a Linux kernel-based file system that seeks to replace the current standard ext4 file.
Author
Obanla Opeyemi
Publisher Name
TuxCare
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FAQs
No native support for encryption and storage limitations compared to ZFS are the two disadvantages of Btrfs. Third-party vendors provide encryption for Btrfs, so administrators have a workaround. The additional storage space is necessary for the shadow copies.
Is btrfs a good file system? ›
Unless you run a VM or database cluster btrfs with default settings is great. With a few tweaks (disable copy-on-write on select files, for example, but you lose checksums) you can also use it just fine for VM and DB partitions without losing much performance. Btrfs is great.
What is the overview of btrfs? ›
BTRFS is a modern copy on write (COW) filesystem for Linux aimed at implementing advanced features while also focusing on fault tolerance, repair and easy administration. Its main features and benefits are: Snapshots which do not make a full copy of the files.
Is btrfs stable yet? ›
As a single-disk filesystem, Btrfs is stable and performs well, but if users go deeper into its newer features, the ground gets shakier.
Is btrfs bad for SSD? ›
btrfs autodefrag on a HDD won't do much harm (in therory) whereas applied on a SSD it will destroy/wear it in really short time as there is a heavy write amplification.
Is btrfs still unstable? ›
Btrfs is said to be a stable and well-tested single-disk filesystem and ext4 replacement, but caution is advised when using advanced features such as Btrfs-RAID.
Which file system is better btrfs or Ext4? ›
Which is faster, BTRFS or EXT4? In general, EXT4 performs better in terms of speed. While providing advanced features, BTRFS can be slower due to the overhead of these features.
Does Google use btrfs? ›
"Google is evaluating btrfs for its potential use in android, but currently the lack of native file-based encryption unfortunately makes it a nonstarter" (Filip Bystricky, linux-btrfs, 2017-06-09).
Why should I use btrfs over Ext4? ›
In summary, think of ext4 as being an older, reliable file system that lacks performance and newer features. Btrfs implements newer features and is a solid choice for more modern hardware and Linux distributions, while ZFS is for specialized enterprise installations.
Do I need to balance btrfs? ›
It is only recommended to run a metadata balance when converting between RAID profiles or when changing the number of devices in the filesystem. It is is good to have plenty of free space inside metadata chunks.
WinBtrfs is a Btrfs file system driver for a Windows operating system that allows interaction with Btrfs disks, reading and writing data, and other operations. You can download this driver from github. For installation, right-click on . inf file and select Install.
Is btrfs a raw disk or partition? ›
For Btrfs, using a partition table is recommended to avoid issues with other tools and operating systems. Use a GUID Partition Table (GPT) for modern compatibility. Tools like GNU Parted, cfdisk, and fdisk are excellent for partitioning.
Why should I use btrfs over EXT4? ›
In summary, think of ext4 as being an older, reliable file system that lacks performance and newer features. Btrfs implements newer features and is a solid choice for more modern hardware and Linux distributions, while ZFS is for specialized enterprise installations.
Why is EXT4 better than btrfs? ›
Why use Ext4 over Btrfs? Ext4 has capabilities like online defragmentation, quota management, and journaling that btrfs does not. However, many of the capabilities offered by btrfs, including snapshots, compression, encryption, deduplication, RAID, subvolumes, and checksums, are not supported by ext4.
Which file system is better btrfs or EXT4? ›
Which is faster, BTRFS or EXT4? In general, EXT4 performs better in terms of speed. While providing advanced features, BTRFS can be slower due to the overhead of these features.
Is btrfs slower than EXT4? ›
Ext4 transfers file faster than Btrfs hence it is a good choice for users.
