[MLUG] A mini blog about file systems.

[Stefan Monnier]

> It could very well be that the footprint for ext4 is about the same as
> ext3.  However, always in the system is ext2, required for the
> boot partition.

The boot partition can be (and usually is, AFAIK) ext3.  But it can also
be any number of things, e.g. ext4, vfat, and many more.  Depending on
your bootloader, there might be some additional constraints, of course.

In any case, without actual (even vague) data about RAM use of various
filesystems, it's hard to recommend one filesystem over another on the
basis of trying to "have the maximum amount of free memory available for
my application".

> So, ext3 just adds some journalling.  As far as I know, ext4 is
> incompatible with ext[23].

Actually, IIUC ext4 is upward compatible.  Not that it matters, tho.


        Stefan