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Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

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Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#21
post #5

Do you mean the technical details behind how a file system work internally, or how the files and the filesystem layout in a Linux/Ubuntu system are structured?

Right now I'm more interested in the second, as I believe that will help me understand more about how Ubuntu boxes are best maintained/structured, and hopefully help me to understand how tools are "installed" on Unix. I think I got what I asked for and more from the various responses on this thread so far, though...

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#24
post #18
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It could theoretically not be mounted at all, if all subdirectories are mounted individually (or it used to, I'm not convinced that's still the case). The submounts need something to mount on. Root could conceivably be an in-memory only filesystem with a few directories automatically populated for submounts to mount on, though.

that's called initramfs.

In the case of Linux there's actually a (specially renamed) instance of a tmpfs mounted on /. Usually the real system root is mounted over that.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#25

A good book, but not widely known (maybe a little low level, but still...) Ah, it's also free ;) From the the haiku project website: https://www.haiku-os.org/legacy-docs/practical-file-system-d...

Written by Dominic Giampaolo, now working at Apple on APFS.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#26
For what it's worth I had asked someone the very same question when I started my career.

From the horses mouth take a look at ext4 on ubuntu https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxFilesystemsExplained

Then a 10,000 mile view, I'd take a look at UNIX and Linux https://www.amazon.com/UNIX-Linux-System-Administration-Hand...

There are more books I could list and papers on FileSystems. I will leave you with three particular books that have guided my career

If you want to look solely at Ubuntu. The Ubuntu Server book https://www.amazon.com/Official-Ubuntu-Server-Book-3rd/dp/01...

Unix Made Easy - https://www.amazon.com/UNIX-Made-Easy-John-Muster/dp/0072193...

Hope this helps

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#27
A very interesting approach can be the forensic analysis of the effects of modern file systems to explorer their inner working. I really much enjoyed this way of learning about how they work and how one can observe their principles. The best book is without doubt:

Brian Carrier File System Forensic Analysis https://g.co/kgs/lv7gVN

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#29
These are both somewhat dated but still very worth while and relevant reads, you can find them cheap on Amazon:

"UNIX Filesystems: Evolution, Design, and Implementation 1st Edition" by by Steve D. Pate

"Practical File System Design with the Be File System" by Dominic Giampaolo

Re: Ask HN: Recommended guides for learning filesystems?

#30
Lots of great links here. It is important to note however that the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard is not the one true way you should not deviate from. The FSH is full of design decisions that make sense in the historical context but are less than ideal today. There are alternatives.

If you are interested in alternatives, you can have a look at GoboLinux: https://gobolinux.org/?page=at_a_glance

Or have a look at NixOS, which has a different take: https://nixos.org/nixos/about.html http://funloop.org/post/2015-08-01-why-i-use-nixos.html

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