The developers of the Fedora distribution propose to implement the ComposeFS file system as the default for the editorial offices of the distribution. This change, if approved by the FESCO Committee (Fedora Engineering Steering Committee), will be applied to Fedora Silverblue (GNOME), Fedora Kinoite (KDE), Fedora Coreos, Fedora IoT, Fedora Sway Atomic, and Fedora Budgie Atomic.
With ComposeFS, users will have access to the root section in read-only mode, allowing for integrity checks to identify any issues that may arise during operation. The /etc and /var sections will still have write access. Currently, work is carried out through the /usr section in read-only mode, but the upcoming change will optimize system performance and allow for better error detection during operation.
ComposeFS is built as a superstructure over the Overlayfs and Erofs file systems, specifically designed for efficient storage of multiple targeted disk images. With support for joint storage of different disk images and functions to verify data authenticity, ComposeFS stands out from other similar file systems. By using a storage model based on content addressing, ComposeFS enables deduplication and efficient storage of files based on their content hash.
These improvements are made possible by the latest versions of Linux kernel, with Erofs support starting from Linux 5.15 and Overlayfs support starting from kernel 6.5. The implementation of ComposeFS will enhance the performance and reliability of the Fedora distribution, offering users a more efficient and secure file system.