ReiserFS to Bid Farewell in Upcoming Linux 6.13 Kernel

/ Linux, ReiserFS, Kernel, Technology, Open Source

In an upcoming major change, the Linux 6.13 kernel, expected to be released at the start of the new year, will see the removal of the ReiserFS file-system. This decision, anticipated for several years, follows its deprecation that started with Linux 5.18. The forthcoming change was announced on October 20, 2024, attracting attention in the Linux storage community.

ReiserFS, once a popular choice, has not been widely used in recent years. Its decline in popularity is partly due to the notorious background of its lead developer, Hans Reiser, who gained infamy as a convicted murderer. Additionally, the file-system has not undergone any significant updates or feature work for a considerable length of time, marking it a candidate for removal from the Linux kernel.

The Path to Removal

SUSE engineer Jan Kara has been working on a patch to finalise the removal of ReiserFS from the Linux kernel. This task is documented in his linux-fs.git for_next branch. The commentary on the last commit addressing this issue is straightforward, stating:

"Deprecation period of reiserfs ends with the end of this year so it is time to remove it from the kernel."

Following its removal, the 32.8k lines of kernel code associated with ReiserFS will be eliminated. However, for those who still require access to ReiserFS files, options remain available through older LTS Linux kernels or the soon-to-be-finalised Linux 6.12, which may also receive long-term support.

An End of an Era

The Linux 6.10 release contained a last request regarding ReiserFS from Hans Reiser, made from prison. Despite any potential last-minute protests, it's almost certain that Linux 6.13 will proceed with removing ReiserFS support at the core level, marking the end of a controversial chapter in Linux filesystem history.

For further details on the decision to remove ReiserFS, you can visit Phoronix.

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