A filesystem defines how data is stored, organized, and retrieved on a disk.
Linux supports multiple filesystems, each designed for different workloads and features.
ext4 is the most widely used and stable Linux filesystem.
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ext4
df -Th /mnt/ext4
XFS is a high-performance filesystem optimized for large files and parallel I/O.
sudo mkfs.xfs /dev/sdb2
sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt/xfs
df -Th /mnt/xfs
Btrfs is a modern filesystem with advanced data management features.
sudo mkfs.btrfs /dev/sdb3
sudo mount /dev/sdb3 /mnt/btrfs
btrfs filesystem show
ZFS is a robust volume manager and filesystem combined (not included in the main Linux kernel).
Install ZFS utilities:
sudo apt install zfsutils-linux
Create a ZFS pool:
sudo zpool create datapool /dev/sdb4
Create and mount a ZFS filesystem:
sudo zfs create datapool/data
zfs list
| Filesystem | Stability | Performance | Snapshots | RAID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ext4 | Very High | Good | No | No |
| XFS | High | Very High | No | No |
| Btrfs | Medium | Good | Yes | Yes |
| ZFS | Very High | High | Yes | Yes |
Choosing the right filesystem depends on performance needs, data safety, and storage complexity.