GoKawiilLinux advocate urges distros to default to swap files over swap partitions
A Linux user is publicly arguing that swap files, not swap partitions, should be the default choice during OS installation. They note that swap files have matched swap partitions in performance for over two decades, while being far easier to create, resize, or remove after setup using simple commands like fallocate and mkswap.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Many Linux distributions still default to partition-based swap during installation, locking users into a fixed disk layout that's cumbersome to change later. Advocating for swap files instead reflects a broader push toward more flexible, maintainable system configurations, especially useful for cloud instances, containers, and general desktop users who may need to adjust memory management without repartitioning drives.
- Swap files have matched swap partition performance for over 20 years, per the argument.
- Swap files are simpler to create, resize, or delete than partitions post-installation.
- The setup process involves basic commands: fallocate, chmod, mkswap, and swapon.
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Published there as: “Stop making swap partitions–use swap files instead”
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