NTFS PLUS on Linux and other essential file systems

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When working with Linux and needing to access formatted disks from Windows, the NTFS file system is often the unwelcome guest: we absolutely need it, but for years the kernel support has been, to put it mildly, improvable. The arrival of the new NTFSPLUS driver completely changes this landscape in LinuxAnd it's worth understanding what it brings to the table, where it comes from, and how it differs from what existed until now.

At the same time, it is worth putting it in context with the other file systems that we can use in Linux. Not all formats serve the same purpose, nor are they all equally recommended depending on the use.It's not the same to install an SSD for the system as it is to... NAS with RAID or an external drive that we're going to share with Windows. Let's take a closer look at what NTFSPLUS is, what problems it solves compared to NTFS3 and NTFS-3G, and how it fits within the ecosystem of file systems like EXT4, XFS, F2FS, BtrFS, or OpenZFS.

What is NTFSPLUS and why is it so important in Linux?

A new driver for working with NTFS has recently appeared in the Linux ecosystem called NTFSPLUS, a modern, high-performance implementation Designed to be integrated into the kernel, its main objective is to offer full read and write support for NTFS partitions, improving both stability and speed compared to previous solutions.

The development of this controller is being carried out by Namjae Jeong, an engineer with extensive experience in Linux file systemsHe is the same developer who adapted the exFAT driver for kernel integration and who maintains the kernel-space SMB server module (KSMBD). His prior experience with Microsoft file systems has allowed him to approach NTFS from a very solid foundation.

The motivation for creating NTFSPLUS comes from a rather particular situation: the old read-only NTFS kernel driver had been removedThe main gap was filled by NTFS3, a driver provided by Paragon Software with read and write support. In theory, NTFS3 was supposed to be the definitive solution, but according to Jeong himself and some members of the community, its maintenance, quality, and stability have not lived up to expectations.

Meanwhile, many distributions continued to rely on NTFS-3G, a FUSE-based user-space driverAlthough it is quite robust, its performance is lower than that of a driver within the kernel and it adds some latency, which is especially noticeable in intensive writes or multi-threaded operations.

To solve all this, NTFSPLUS has been built from the Old read-only NTFS kernel driver, known for its clean and well-documented codeBuilding on this clear and easy-to-maintain foundation, full write support and a number of cutting-edge technical improvements have been added, making it a very serious alternative to NTFS3.

Key technical features of NTFSPLUS

NTFSPLUS is not a simple “patch” to add write access to an old driver; It is a deep reimplementation that incorporates modern block management technologies into the kernel.One of the key elements is the use of iomap, a kernel infrastructure that simplifies how file systems manage the allocation of blocks on disk.

In addition, work has been done on the Removal of buffer head, a legacy structure that limited performance in scenarios with heavy I/O load. Instead, NTFSPLUS relies on newer kernel mechanisms, which reduces bottlenecks and makes better use of current hardware resources, especially in multi-core systems.

Another relevant improvement is the complete transition to folios to manage the memory pages associated with files. This change aligns with the current direction of Linux kernel development and facilitates better memory management, resulting in greater stability and efficiency when working with large files or many simultaneous accesses.

In terms of features, NTFSPLUS offers assembly with ID mappingThis is very useful when sharing NTFS volumes between Windows and Linux and you want to correctly align user and group IDs. It also implements delayed block allocation, a technique that allows grouping writes and reducing fragmentation, improving the overall performance of the file system.

The controller comes with specific command-line utilities, including fsck-type tools to check and repair integrity of the NTFS file system managed by NTFSPLUS. This point is fundamental to being able to rely on it in production scenarios or when handling important data.

Performance and advantages over NTFS3 and NTFS-3G

One of the aspects where NTFSPLUS really excels is in performance under multi-process workload. The tests presented show that, with multiple write threads, NTFSPLUS clearly outperforms NTFS3 in terms of speed, making better use of system resources. This is especially relevant on servers, workload-intensive systems, or in situations where many files are copied concurrently.

In single-wire access scenarios, the leap is not as dramatic, but Even so, moderate improvements over NTFS3 are noticeable.As for pure reading, the performance figures for both controllers tend to be at a very similar level, so the big difference is really noticeable when the system writes a lot and at the same time.

If we compare it to NTFS-3G, things are even clearer: NTFSPLUS, by operating entirely in kernel space, reduces latency and significantly improves I/O operationsNTFS-3G remains a valid option in terms of compatibility, but its FUSE-based nature leaves it lagging in performance compared to a modern kernel driver.

Another sensitive point is journaling support. NTFS3 was advertised to support change logging, but in practice it is not fully implementedThis generates distrust within some of the community, because journaling is key to preventing data loss during power outages or sudden shutdowns. NTFSPLUS, for its part, already includes journaling in its roadmap and explicitly lists it among its development goals.

Furthermore, the way NTFSPLUS is distributed is also a point in its favor: The code has been released as an open series of patches totaling more than 34,000 lines.This facilitates review by other kernel developers. This transparency allows for the detection of problems before they reach production and creates a much greater base of trust than a driver with unclear maintenance.

Project status and adoption in the Linux kernel

As of today, NTFSPLUS is still not part of the main branch of the Linux kernel, but The community has already shown significant interest in the project.The fact that it is driven by a developer with a proven track record and that it has been developed with open source code from the beginning increases the chances that it will eventually be officially integrated.

Its adoption would represent a significant change for anyone who frequently needs to work with drives formatted in Windows. Until now, NTFS support in Linux was a compromise between performance, stability, and ease of maintenance.And no single driver quite excelled on all three fronts simultaneously. NTFSPLUS aims to fill that gap by offering a more robust balance.

Until it is included in the main kernel, it is likely that Some distributions offer NTFSPLUS as an optional module or through additional repositories, especially those geared towards advanced users server environmentsIn any case, community pressure and the clear performance benefits work in their favor.

If NTFSPLUS becomes established, we could see a progressive shift away from NTFS3 as the reference driver for NTFS on Linux. This would also alleviate the reliance on NTFS-3G for certain use cases, perhaps reserving it for very specific scenarios or for specific compatibilities where FUSE has some advantage.

In short, the project is shaping up to be a very important step towards truly competitive, reliable, and long-term maintainable NTFS support in Linux, something that has been a pending issue for both home users and professionals for years.

Other important file systems in Linux

Once you understand where NTFSPLUS fits in, it's important to remember that, To install and use Linux on a daily basis, it is common to use the system's native file systems.Not all of them are suitable for everything: some are better for SSDs, others shine in servers with RAID, and others prioritize stability over advanced features.

It is important to understand the differences because, although many distributions choose a default file system during installation, We can customize this aspect according to our needs.Choosing well from the start can save us headaches, especially in servers or environments where data loss is not an option.

Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that Not all file systems allow booting a Linux distribution or the boot manager itself.Some formats are best used for data, backups, or shared volumes, but not for the system root partition.

We'll review the main file systems currently offered by Linux: EXT4 (along with its predecessors EXT2 and EXT3), XFS, F2FS, BtrFS, and OpenZFS, explaining each one clearly. How do they differ, what are their advantages, and what uses are recommended for each?.

EXT4: the de facto standard in most distributions

EXT4, an acronym for Fourth Extended Filesystem, is the file system most used on desktop and laptop computers with LinuxBroadly speaking, it is often said to be "the NTFS of Linux" because it fulfills a similar role: default format, very well tested, stable and sufficient for most users.

EXT4 arrived as an evolution of EXT3 and introduces Numerous improvements in performance, reliability, and support for modern drives such as SSDsAmong its most notable features are integrated journaling, which helps protect data against power outages, and extension management and delayed allocation that reduces fragmentation and improves performance in daily use.

One of its great advantages is that It has been part of the Linux kernel for years and is very well supported.There's no need to install anything extra or perform any strange configurations: almost any distro can use it out of the box, both for the root partition and for other data partitions.

In addition, EXT4 supports interesting features such as TRIM for SSDs and the possibility of disable journaling If you want to extend the lifespan of flash drives by reducing writes, this isn't usually necessary for normal use, but it can be helpful in very specific cases where every write cycle counts.

Its main drawback is that, despite the improvements, It remains a technology with ancient roots, heir to EXT, EXT2 and EXT3This doesn't mean it's bad, but rather that it doesn't natively incorporate certain advanced features offered by more modern systems like BtrFS or ZFS, especially regarding snapshots or volume management.

XFS: Extreme performance at high volumes

XFS is a long-established file system, originally designed for workstations geared towards 3D rendering and very intensive workloadsDespite its more than three decades of history, it remains one of the favorite choices of advanced users and system administrators who handle large amounts of data.

It is specially optimized for systems that perform many reads and writes constantlyMaintaining very high performance even under maximum load conditions. To achieve this, it employs advanced techniques such as dynamically allocated inodes, specific algorithms for organizing data, and allocation groups that improve performance as the volume increases.

Like EXT4, XFS is included directly in the Linux kernel and It requires no special configuration to start using itHowever, many distributions do not offer it as a default option in the installer, and configuring it correctly can be somewhat more complex if you lack experience.

Its advantages include: High performance on very large units or sets of units and its optimization for SSDsincluding support for TRIM and features that reduce fragmentation. It is especially powerful when managing high-capacity storage or multi-disk systems.

The downside is that, by default, XFS uses journaling and does not allow it to be disabled.Furthermore, its complexity makes it less user-friendly for novice users. It is generally recommended for servers, professional workstations, or systems where performance is prioritized over simplicity.

F2FS: designed from the ground up for flash memory

F2FS (Flash-Friendly File System) was designed by Samsung with a clear idea: to take full advantage of the potential of NAND-based drivessuch as USB drives, memory cards, and especially SSDs. Instead of adapting a classic file system, a new one was created specifically for the characteristics of this type of storage.

Their strategy consists of divide the unit into small segments to distribute the scriptures and avoid overwriting the same blocks repeatedly. This distributes wear and extends the device's lifespan. Furthermore, F2FS includes support for SSD-specific technologies like TRIM and FITRIM, which help the operating system better manage free blocks.

Many distributions offer support for F2FS, but Not all of them include it as standard or show it as an option in the installersIt is usually more prevalent in specific environments, such as mobile devices, embedded systems, or custom installations by advanced users who want to get the most out of a particular SSD.

Its strengths are clear: It is specially adapted to flash technology, is modern and continues to evolveIn suitable scenarios, it can offer a very balanced performance between unit durability and performance.

However, if we compare it to alternatives like EXT4 or BtrFS, It doesn't usually stand out overwhelmingly in either pure speed or data security.It's also not the best option for mechanical hard drives, where its advantages are negated. Therefore, its use is primarily recommended for SSDs and flash drives where very specific optimization is required.

BtrFS: Advanced features and a modern approach

BtrFS, short for B-tree File System, was created by Oracle with the intention of become the natural successor to EXTAlthough it has not yet managed to dethrone it as the default standard, it has gained significant market share in environments where advanced data management functions are needed.

One of its great assets is the ability to offer advanced defragmentation, transparent compression and data snapshotsThese snapshots allow you to replicate information, migrate it between drives, or create incremental backups very efficiently, something highly valued in critical servers and workstations.

BtrFS is compatible with RAID configurations, although It's not particularly well-suited for very complex RAID setups.Even so, many users choose it for SSDs because, unlike other file systems, it does not activate journaling in the traditional way and prioritizes other data protection strategies, in addition to supporting TRIM and defragmentation techniques designed for solid-state drives.

In practice, most modern distributions include support for BtrFS, and Some, like OpenSUSE, even use it as the default file system for installationThis reflects growing confidence in its maturity, although it is still considered an option more geared towards users who know what they are doing.

Among its advantages we find a modern design, constantly evolving, and a powerful set of tools for managing data and backupsHowever, it also has some weaknesses: it's accused of being somewhat unstable in extreme scenarios, and if serious crashes occur, there's a risk of data loss. Furthermore, some misconfigured functions can shorten the lifespan of SSDs.

OpenZFS: the king of RAID and large volumes

OpenZFS is a community fork of ZFS (Zettabyte File System), originally developed by Sun Microsystems. Following licensing issues that prevented ZFS from being directly integrated into the Linux kernel, The community promoted OpenZFS as an open alternative.And since 2010 the project has grown to have direct support in many distributions, including Ubuntu since 2016.

His great specialty is I work with complex RAID systems and very large storage volumesOpenZFS is compatible with virtually all common RAID configurations and adds its own variant, RAIDZ, which improves redundancy and reduces the risk of data loss in the event of power outages or disk failures.

OpenZFS is not intended for the casual user: Its configuration is complex, and it consumes a lot of RAM and CPU resources.It requires a thorough understanding of how pools, datasets, and snapshots are organized. When used correctly, it offers a level of security and data control that few file systems can match.

Among its advantages are the Robustness in RAID configurations, multiple redundancy options, and integrity verification and excellent performance when handling large volumes of data continuously. It is highly valued in professional NAS systems, backup servers, and environments where data integrity is critical.

The major drawback is that, outside of well-designed RAIDZ configurations, It may be more prone to data loss in the event of power outages or failures.It is also excessive for a simple desktop computer and is generally not recommended for users without experience in system administration.

How to choose the best file system for your needs

After seeing all these options, the big question is obvious: Which file system is best to use in each situation? There is no single answer that is valid for everyone, but there are some fairly clear recommendations that can serve as a practical guide.

If you're looking to play it safe, without complicating your life, EXT4 remains the most sensible choice for most usersIt is the default recommended format in many distributions, offering a very balanced mix of stability, performance and simplicity, and works well on both mechanical and SSD drives.

When the goal is Get the most out of an SSD and extend its lifespan.It's worth considering more modern options like BtrFS or F2FS. BtrFS offers added advanced features (snapshots, compression, etc.), while F2FS focuses more on optimizing write speeds for flash memory. The type of use and the user's level of expertise come into play here.

On servers, home NAS devices, or equipment where a RAID array with multiple disks will be configured, OpenZFS is usually the preferred option when you want the highest level of security and controlFormatting volumes with ZFS or OpenZFS and mounting drives in RAIDZ allows for a very powerful balance between performance, redundancy, and fault recovery.

In parallel, if access to NTFS partition data is needed in that environment, NTFSPLUS is emerging as the ideal complement within Linux for handling disks from Windows.By offering modern, fast, and clear roadmap support for journaling, it can become the missing piece for working seamlessly between both worlds without having to settle for poor performance or dubious quality drivers.

Ultimately, the key is to intelligently combine the different pieces: Use native Linux file systems (EXT4, XFS, BtrFS, F2FS, OpenZFS) for the system and main dataand resort to drivers like NTFSPlus when coexisting with Windows drives is essential. This strategy leverages the strengths of each technology and minimizes their weaknesses, resulting in a much more robust, efficient, and user-friendly Linux environment for everyday use.