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'''btrfs''' is a modern copy on write (CoW) filesystem for Linux aimed at implementing advanced features while also focusing on fault tolerance, repair and easy administration.
[https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ btrfs] is a modern copy on write (CoW) filesystem for Linux aimed at implementing advanced features while also focusing on fault tolerance, repair and easy administration.


== Installation ==
{{note| Use [https://github.com/nix-community/disko/ disko] to manage your NixOS storage layout declaratively. The following shows a manual approach as seen in traditional Linux distributions.}}
 
= Installation of NixOS on btrfs =


{{note|The following example is for EFI enabled systems. Adjust commands accordingly for a BIOS installation.}}
{{note|The following example is for EFI enabled systems. Adjust commands accordingly for a BIOS installation.}}


=== Partition the disk ===
== Partition the disk ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
# printf "label: gpt\n,550M,U\n,,L\n" | sfdisk /dev/sdX
# printf "label: gpt\n,550M,U\n,,L\n" | sfdisk /dev/sdX
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


=== Format partitions and create subvolumes ===
== Format partitions and create subvolumes ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
# nix-shell -p btrfs-progs
# mkfs.fat -F 32 /dev/sdX1
# mkfs.fat -F 32 /dev/sdX1


Line 23: Line 26:
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


=== Mount the partitions and subvolumes ===
== Mount the partitions and subvolumes ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
# mount -o compress=zstd,subvol=root /dev/sdX2 /mnt
# mount -o compress=zstd,subvol=root /dev/sdX2 /mnt
Line 34: Line 37:
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


=== Install NixOS ===
== Install NixOS ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
# nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
# nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
# nano /mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix # manually add mount options
# nano /mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix # manually add mount options (see Compression below for an example)
# nixos-install
# nixos-install
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


== Configuration ==
= Configuration =


=== Compression ===
== Compression ==


<code>nixos-generate-config --show-hardware-config</code> doesn't detect mount options automatically, so to enable compression, you must specify it and other mount options in a persistent configuration:
<code>nixos-generate-config</code> doesn't detect mount options automatically. To enable compression, you must specify them manually and other mount options in your <code>configuration.nix</code>:


<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
{{file|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix|nix|
<nowiki>
fileSystems = {
fileSystems = {
   "/".options = [ "compress=zstd" ];
   "/".options = [ "compress=zstd" ];
Line 54: Line 58:
   "/swap".options = [ "noatime" ];
   "/swap".options = [ "noatime" ];
};
};
</syntaxhighlight>
</nowiki>
}}
 
Btrfs supports a few compression algorithms, each with different trade-offs:
 
* <code>zstd</code>: Good compression ratio and performance, especially for general-purpose workloads. You can specify compression levels, as example <code>compress=zstd:3</code>.
 
* <code>lzo</code>: Faster but provides lower compression ratios. Good for low powered systems or where performance is important.
 
* <code>zlib</code>: Higher compression ratio but slower performance. Less commonly used nowadays in favor of zstd.
 
You can find more details on the official [https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Compression.html Btrfs Compression Documentation].
 
{{note| Compression is applied only to newly written data. Existing data won't be compressed unless rewritten. (e.g., <code>btrfs filesystem defrag -r -v -czstd /path</code>)}}
 
== Swap file ==


=== Swap file ===
Creating a separate subvolume for the swap file is optional. It is not required for functionality but can help with organization or snapshot management. Be sure to regenerate your <code>hardware-configuration.nix</code> if you choose to do this.


Optionally, create a separate subvolume for the swap file. Be sure to regenerate your <code>hardware-configuration.nix</code> if you choose to do this.
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
# mkdir -p /mnt
# mkdir -p /mnt
Line 65: Line 83:
# umount /mnt
# umount /mnt
# mkdir /swap
# mkdir /swap
# mount -o subvol=swap /dev/sdXY /swap
# mount -o noatime,subvol=swap /dev/sdXY /swap
# nixos-generate-config
</syntaxhighlight>
 
Finally, define a swap file in your configuration and run <code>nixos-rebuild switch</code>:
 
{{file|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix|nix|
<nowiki>
swapDevices = [{
  device = "/swap/swapfile";
  size = 8*1024; # Creates an 8GB swap file
}];
</nowiki>
}}
 
NixOS will automatically create the swap file with the appropriate attributes for Btrfs including disabling copy on write.
 
{{note| On systems where you do need to manually prepare a swap file on Btrfs, you can use <code>btrfs filesystem mkswapfile</code> utility, e.g.: <br><code># btrfs filesystem mkswapfile --uuid clear /swap/swapfile</code>}}
 
For more NixOS swap configuration options, see [[Swap]]. Additonal Btrfs swapfile usage can be found at [https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Swapfile.html the Btrfs docs].
 
== Scrubbing ==
 
Btrfs filesystems by default keep checksums for all files, to monitor if the file has changed due to hardware malfunctions or other external effects.
 
Scrubbing is the process of checking file consistency, which may use checksums and/or duplicated copies of data, from raid for example. Scrubbing may be done "online", meaning you don't need to unmount a subvolume to scrub it.
 
You can enable automatic scrubbing withː
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
services.btrfs.autoScrub.enable = true;
</syntaxhighlight>
 
Automatic scrubbing by default is performed once a month, but you can change that withː
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
services.btrfs.autoScrub.interval = "weekly";
</syntaxhighlight>
<code>interval</code> syntax is defined by [https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd.time.html#Calendar%20Events systemd.timer's Calendar Events]
 
By default, autoscrub will scrub all detected btrfs mount points. However, in case of mounted nested subvolumes (e.g. the example above where <code>/nix</code> and <code>/home</code> are nested subvolumes under <code>/</code>), you only need to scrub the topmost one. So an example configuration may look like this:
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
services.btrfs.autoScrub = {
  enable = true;
  interval = "monthly";
  fileSystems = [ "/" ];
};
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


Then, create the swap file with copy-on-write and compression disabled:
The result of the periodic auto scrub will be saved to the system journal, and you can check the status of the last scrubː
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
btrfs scrub status /
</syntaxhighlight>


<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
You can also start a scrub in the background manuallyː
# truncate -s 0 /swap/swapfile
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
# chattr +C /swap/swapfile
btrfs scrub start /
# btrfs property set /swap/swapfile compression none
# dd if=/dev/zero of=/swap/swapfile bs=1M count=4096
# chmod 0600 /swap/swapfile
# mkswap /swap/swapfile
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
You can check the status of the ongoing scrubbing process with the same <code>status</code> command as above.
== Deduplication ==
Files with (partially) equal contents can be deduplicated using [https://github.com/Zygo/bees bees] or [https://github.com/markfasheh/duperemove duperemove].
bees can be configured in <code>configuration.nix</code>:


Finally, add the swap file to your configuration and <code>nixos-rebuild switch</code>:
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
swapDevices = [ { device = "/swap/swapfile"; } ];
services.beesd.filesystems = {
  root = {
    spec = "LABEL=root";
    hashTableSizeMB = 2048;
    verbosity = "crit";
    extraOptions = [ "--loadavg-target" "5.0" ];
  };
};
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


== Usage ==
This will run the daemon in the background. To disable auto-start, use <code>systemd.services."beesd@root".wantedBy = lib.mkForce [ ];</code> for each filesystem.


=== Subvolume ===
= Usage =


Create a subvolume
== Subvolumes ==
 
To display all subvolumes within a mounted btrfs filesystem:
 
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
btrfs subvolume list -t /mnt
</syntaxhighlight>
 
To create a new subvolume at a specified location:


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
Line 94: Line 176:
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


Removing a subvolume
To remove an existing subvolume:


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
Line 100: Line 182:
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


=== Snapshots ===
=== Top level vs nested subvolumes ===
 
In btrfs, subvolumes can be created either at the top level of the filesystem or within other subvolumes
 
* Top level subvolumes are created directly under the filesystem's root. By default, the root volume id is 5. Top level subvolumes are easier to snapshotted, rolled back or destroyed independently. This is good for things such as <code>/home</code> or <code>/nix</code>.
 
* Nested subvolumes are created inside an existing subvolume or directory within the filesystem. All nested subvolumes inherit the mount status of their parent unless mounted seperately. This layout is useful for organizing related subvolumes under a common namespace. For example, a top-level subvolume such as <code>/srv/nfs</code> can contain multiple nested subvolumes like <code>/srv/nfs/export1</code> and <code>/srv/nfs/export2</code>.
 
 
 
== Snapshots ==
 
A snapshot in btrfs is simply a subvolume that shares its data (and metadata) with some other subvolume, using btrfs's CoW capabilities. Because of that, there is no special location for snapshots and you can decide where you want to store them. It can be a simple directory inside the root subvolume, or a directory inside a dedicated "snapshots" subvolume.


Taking a read-only (<code>-r</code>) snapshot called <code>nixos_snapshot_202302</code> of the subvolume mounted at <code>/</code>
For this example we are going to store snapshots in a directory <code>/snapshots</code>, that has to be created beforehand with <code>sudo mkdir /snapshots</code>
 
To take a read-only (<code>-r</code>) snapshot called <code>home_snapshot_202302</code> of the subvolume mounted at <code>/home</code>


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
btrfs subvolume snapshot -r / /mnt/@nixos_snapshot_202302
btrfs subvolume snapshot -r /home /snapshots/home_snapshot_202302
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


Make snapshot read-write again
You can also snapshot the root subvolume. But keep in mind that nested subvolumes are '''not''' part of a snapshot. So if you have subvolumes <code>/nix /home</code>, taking a snapshot of <code>/</code> will not include them.


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
btrfs property set -ts /mnt/@nixos_snapshot_202302 ro false
btrfs subvolume snapshot -r / /snapshots/nixos_snapshot_202302
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


List snapshots for <code>/</code>
Make snapshot read-write againː


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
sudo btrfs subvolume list /
btrfs property set -ts /snapshots/home_snapshot_202302 ro false
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


=== Transfer snapshot ===
However, changing read-only property of a snapshot in-place may [//lore.kernel.org/linux-btrfs/06e92a0b-e71b-eb21-edb5-9d2a5513b718@gmail.com/ causes issues] with any future incremental send/receive. Instead, a read-only snapshot itself (being a simple subvolume) can be snapshotted again as a read-write snapshot like this:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
btrfs subvolume snapshot /snapshots/home_snapshot_202302 /snapshots/home_snapshot_202302_rw
</syntaxhighlight>


Sending the snapshot <code>/mnt/@nixos_snapshot_202302</code> compressed to a remote host via ssh at <code>root@192.168.178.110</code> and saving it to a subvolume mounted or directory at <code>/mnt/nixos</code>
Or it can be restored directly to <code>/home</code> straight away like this:
{{warning|1=this will delete the current <code>/home</code> and restore the snapshot! <code>/home</code> must be unmounted for this operation}}


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
sudo btrfs send /mnt/@nixos_snapshot_202302 | zstd | ssh root@192.168.178.110 'zstd -d | btrfs receive /mnt/nixos'
btrfs subvolume delete /home
btrfs subvolume snapshot /snapshots/home_snapshot_202302 /home
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
After this you can mount <code>/home</code> again.


== Transfer snapshot ==
Sending the snapshot <code>/snapshots/nixos_snapshot_202302</code> compressed to a remote host via ssh at <code>root@192.168.178.110</code> and saving it to a subvolume mounted on a directory at <code>/mnt/nixos</code>
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
sudo btrfs send /snapshots/nixos_snapshot_202302 | zstd | ssh root@192.168.178.110 'zstd -d | btrfs receive /mnt/nixos'
</syntaxhighlight>
If both the sender and receiver side have Btrfs with the same compression algorithm and level, you can instead use <code>send --compressed-data</code> to avoid decompressing and recompressing the data.
= Tips and tricks =
== Backup ==
[[Btrbk]] is a tool for creating snapshots and remote backups of btrfs subvolumes.
== Installation with encryption ==
Using [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Unified_Key_Setup Luks2]:
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
cryptsetup --verify-passphrase -v luksFormat "$DISK"p2
cryptsetup open "$DISK"p2 enc
</syntaxhighlight>
You can use any device partition for your bootloader. Note that this bootloader is unencrypted by default:
<code>mkfs.vfat -n BOOT "$DISK"p1</code>
=== Creating subvolumes ===
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
mkfs.btrfs /dev/mapper/enc # Creating btrfs partition
mount -t btrfs /dev/mapper/enc /mnt
# Create the subvolumes
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/root # The subvolume for /
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/home # The subvolume for /home, which should be backed up
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/nix # The subvolume for /nix, which needs to be persistent but is not worth backing up, as it’s trivial to reconstruct
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/log # The subvolume for /var/log.
</syntaxhighlight>
Unmount to mount on the subvolumes for the next steps:
<code>umount /mnt</code>
Once the subvolumes have been created, mount them with the desired options.
Example with [https://facebook.github.io/zstd/ Zstandard compression] and noatime:
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
mount -o subvol=root,compress=zstd,noatime /dev/mapper/enc /mnt
mkdir /mnt/home
mount -o subvol=home,compress=zstd,noatime /dev/mapper/enc /mnt/home
mkdir /mnt/nix
mount -o subvol=nix,compress=zstd,noatime /dev/mapper/enc /mnt/nix
mkdir -p /mnt/var/log
mount -o subvol=log,compress=zstd,noatime /dev/mapper/enc /mnt/var/log
# do not forget to create and mount the bootloader
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount "$DISK"p1 /mnt/boot
</syntaxhighlight>
Configure <code>hardware-configuration.nix</code>
<syntaxhighlight  lang="nix">
# enable btrfs support
boot.supportedFilesystems = [ "btrfs" ];
fileSystems."/var/log" =
    { device = "/dev/disk/by-uuid/X";
      fsType = "btrfs";
      # enable noatime and zstd to the other subvolumes aswell
      options = [ "subvol=log" "compress=zstd" "noatime" ];
      # to have a correct log order
      neededForBoot = true;
    };
</syntaxhighlight >
Generate Nixconfig:
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
</syntaxhighlight >
== Convert Ext3/Ext4 system partition to Btrfs ==
<div style="border: 1px solid var(--border-color-error); background: var(--background-color-error-subtle); padding: 30px; border-radius: 5px; margin: 10px 0px; display: flex; align-items: center;">
    <div style="color: var(--border-color-error); font-size: 40px; margin-right: 15px; background: var(--background-color-error-subtle); display: flex; line-height: 0;  align-items: center;">⚠</div>
    <div style="color: var(--border-color-error); font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; text-align: left;">Note that migrating your existing root filesystem can cause data loss or make your system unbootable. Make sure to backup the partition or your files. Proceed only if you know what you're doing!</div>
</div>
To convert the existing filesystem (Ext3/4) to Btrfs, boot into a NixOS live system and run the following commandː<syntaxhighlight lang="sh">
fsck -f /dev/sdXY
btrfs-convert /dev/sdXY
</syntaxhighlight>Replace the device path with the target partition. Converting larger filesystems can take a long time.
Next, mount the converted filesystem and chroot into itː<syntaxhighlight lang="sh">
mount /dev/sdXY /mnt
nixos-enter --root /mnt
</syntaxhighlight>Replace the partition UUID with the new one, which can be obtained using the command <code>blkid</code>, in <code>/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix</code> and also change the filesystem to <code>btrfs</code>.<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
  fileSystems."/" =
    { device = "/dev/disk/by-uuid/44444444-4444-4444-8888-888888888888";
      fsType = "btrfs";
    };
</syntaxhighlight>Apply the changes<syntaxhighlight lang="sh">
nixos-rebuild boot
</syntaxhighlight>If the Grub bootloader is used and it doesn't get reinstalled correctly, you can run the following command inside chrootː<syntaxhighlight lang="sh">
grub-install /dev/sdX
</syntaxhighlight>If the conversion was successful and no rollback is required, the backup image which was stored by btrfs-convert can be removed withː<syntaxhighlight lang="sh">
btrfs subvolume delete /btrfs/ext2_saved
</syntaxhighlight>
[[Category: Configuration]]
[[Category: Configuration]]
[[Category:Filesystem]]
[[Category:Filesystem]]
Retrieved from "https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/Btrfs"