A Linux 7.2 update has fixed a bug in the Btrfs file system that, since 2023, was slowing down data writing. By removing this restriction, performance improves by up to 59%, going from 826 MB/s to 1,311 MB/s. For citizens, this means computers running Linux will be faster when saving large files, restoring the lost speed.
The bug that slowed down Btrfs for two years 🛑
The flaw resided in an unnecessary locking operation that affected sequential data writing, a common process when copying large files. Developers identified that a synchronization function, designed to prevent corruption in extreme cases, was executed on every write operation. By removing that restriction, performance on NVMe storage skyrockets, going from 826 MB/s to 1,311 MB/s. This patch is already available in kernel 7.2, and its application is recommended for systems with high-speed drives.
The bug that turned your SSD into a 90s disk 🐌
It turns out that for two years, Linux users have been saving files in slow motion without knowing it. It's as if your sports car had been driving with the handbrake on since 2023 and no one noticed until now. The developers, with a poker face, admit that the bug was so silly it seems like divine punishment for those who trusted Btrfs. Good thing the patch arrived before we started using carrier pigeons to transfer data.