a

content/blog/swapfile-guide-explained/index.md

@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
----
-
-title: Swapfile guide explained
-date: 2023-01-23T20:26:18-06:00
-lastmod: 2023-01-23T20:26:18-06:00
-toc: true
-comments: true
-draft: true
-
-authors:
-  - bbaovanc
-
-categories:
-  - linux
-
-tags:
-  - linux-swap
-  - swapfile
-
-series:
-  - swapfile-guide
-
-# this will be shown for the article in list pages and in the page metadata
-# it can be either an image or video (this might change in the future, however)
-resources:
-  - name: feature
-    src: something.webp
-    title: Some image (image format can be anything; webp is just an example)
-
----
-
-This page is about something. All the content before the "more" HTML comment
-below will become the summary, which will be used in list pages and in the meta
-tags on the article.
-
-Or, if you don't want your description to be at the top of the article, you can
-set your own `description` in the front matter and it will override this. See
-the [Content Summaries](https://gohugo.io/content-management/summaries/) page on
-the Hugo docs for more information.
-
-<!--more-->
-
-## Allocating the file
-
-- use `dd` instead of `fallocate`
-- https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/swapon.8.html#NOTES
-  - https://man.archlinux.org/man/core/util-linux/swapon.8.en#Files_with_holes
-
-## Options field
-
-- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/365961/525130
-- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/365954/525130
-- https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/blob/2ea397239683270a0fc8cd3b72ed5457f52dbda8/sys-utils/swapon.c#L699

content/blog/swapfile-guide/index.md

@@ -32,16 +32,17 @@ resources:
 ---
 
 This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to create or remove a swapfile on a Linux
-machine. Also included is the correct `fstab` entry (most articles get this
-"wrong", though it doesn't really make a difference) and reasons to use
-swap(file) in the first place.
+machine, and whether you should create swap space in the first place.
+
+Also included is the most correct `fstab` entry: most articles get this "wrong"
+(but it doesn't actually matter).
 
 <!--more-->
 
 ## Should you use swap?
 
 A common misconception is that adding swap to your system can reduce
-performance. In reality, even if you aren't running out of RAM, it can still be
+performance. However, even if you aren't running out of RAM, it can still be
 beneficial to add swap.
 
 See these points according to [an article by Hayden James][always-add-swap]:
@@ -59,12 +60,12 @@ See these points according to [an article by Hayden James][always-add-swap]:
 
 [always-add-swap]: https://haydenjames.io/linux-performance-almost-always-add-swap-space/
 
-### Should you use a swapfile?
+### Should you use a swap file or partition?
 
-Swap partitions should be preferred because swapfiles tend to be slower and more
-complex, especially if hibernating. A swapfile might be preferred due to its
-flexibility (easy to resize), but if you use [LVM][lvm-archwiki] then you can
-easily resize the swap partition anyways.
+Swap partitions should be preferred because swapfiles tend to be slower and
+slightly more complex to set up, especially if hibernating. A swapfile might be
+preferred due to its flexibility (ease to resize), but if you use
+[LVM][lvm-archwiki] then you can easily resize the swap partition anyways.
 
 [lvm-archwiki]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/LVM
 
@@ -251,3 +252,19 @@ want to remove, and delete it. For example:
 ```bashsession
 # rm /swapfile
 ```
+
+## References
+
+### Use `dd` instead of `fallocate`
+
+See ["Files with holes" under the man page][swapon-holes-man].
+
+[swapon-holes-man]: https://man.archlinux.org/man/core/util-linux/swapon.8.en#Files_with_holes
+
+### The options field in fstab
+
+On Linux, `sw` doesn't mean anything for `swapon`, so it gets ignored. See:
+
+- [StackExchange answer 1](https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/365961/525130)
+- [StackExchange answer 2](https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/365954/525130)
+- [`parse_options` in the `swapon` source code](https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/blob/2ea397239683270a0fc8cd3b72ed5457f52dbda8/sys-utils/swapon.c#L699)