What are the pros and cons of btrfs? (lemm.ee)

submitted 2 months ago by Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee to c/linux@programming.dev

31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I recently started using Fedora with btrfs, which I think was the default on install. So far all I've noticed is that backups and restores are really fast and easy.

Are there any important things to be aware of, like speed, drive lifespan or energy efficiency?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] Ephera@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

To be more precise, you don't really want to use the snapshotting in the home-directory. You can still use btrfs itself and for example, openSUSE sets it up so the home-directory is in a btrfs subvolume that's excluded from snapshots.
At the very least, you'd want the snapshots in the home-directory to be independent from the rest of the OS, so that you don't end up rolling back what you've worked on when you want to roll back a faulty OS update.

Well, and you also just want proper backups of your home-directory, so the snapshots are not as useful...

[-] RedSnt@feddit.dk 3 points 2 months ago

This is how I understand subvolumes, that unless specified otherwise, they're excluded from snapshots taken of parent folders, so by making /home a subvolume is less about taking snapshots of that folder, and more about ensuring that taking snapshots of / doesn't include /home.

this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2025

70 points (100.0% liked)

Linux

8442 readers

467 users here now

A community for everything relating to the GNU/Linux operating system (except the memes!)

Also, check out:

Original icon base courtesy of lewing@isc.tamu.edu and The GIMP

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

Ategon@programming.dev

anzo@programming.dev

dwraf_of_ignorance@programming.dev