FOSSPicks
macOS filesystem
apfs-fuse
Even when you're not using other operating systems, it's always been important for Linux to be able to access other filesystems. For example, most of us read and write to Microsoft VFAT- and FAT32-formatted devices without even thinking about it, whether it's USB storage, a camera, or a shared hard drive partition. That's because FAT has been part of the kernel from almost the very beginning and subsequently built into many embedded devices. But most foreign filesystems are more esoteric. Even VFAT's successor on Windows, NTFS, doesn't enjoy the same ubiquitous compatibility, even with the open source ntfs-3g
implementation, and it's the same for Apple-native macOS filesystems. For many years, this was HFS+, which did enjoy a certain level of compatibility on Linux systems. But then Apple went and replaced it all with APFS, which was designed for privacy and the solid state storage on both Apple's Macs and iOS devices.
APFS uses a GPT partitioning scheme with volume containers, often encrypted, that operate a little like LVM on Linux, which makes it difficult to access from Linux. But thanks to the brilliant apfs-fuse
project, it can be done, and it works remarkably well. Like any Filesystem in USErspace (FUSE), it can be built and run locally, mounting an APFS device to a local directory with an appropriately furnished mount
command, for example:
apfs-fuse -o allow_other /dev/sdb2 /mnt/macos
There are arguments for mounting specific containers and mounting a software encrypted volume, plus debug options for troubleshooting and for ignoring unknown chunks of data. There's support for macOS and iOS, extended attributes, symlinks, and direct mounting of transparent decompression for zlib and LZVN. As brilliant as all this is, it can't write files or access drives encrypted with Apple's T2 chip. Regardless of this limitation, other operating systems just can't get close to this cross-filesystem compatibility. It's great to see that this vital Linux capability is keeping up with the times.
Project Website
https://github.com/sgan81/apfs-fuse
File sync
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KaOS Linux 2024.05 Adds Bcachfs Support and More
With updates all around, KaOS Linux now includes support for the bcachefs file system.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils New Iteration of the Stellaris Laptop Line
The Stellaris Slim 15 is the 6th generation and includes either an AMD or Intel CPU
-
KDE Releases Plasma 6.0.5
The latest release of the Plasma desktop has arrived with several improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Gnome OS Adopting systemd-sysupdate
Gnome OS is about to undergo a major under-the-hood change that promises enhanced security.
-
Endless OS 6 Now Available
After more than a year since the last update, the latest release of Endless OS is now available for general usage.
-
Fedora Asahi 40 Remix Available for Macs with Apple Silicon
If you've been anticipating KDE's Plasma 6 for your Apple Silicon-powered Mac, then you're in luck.
-
Red Hat Adds New Deployment Option for Enterprise Linux Platforms
Red Hat has re-imagined enterprise Linux for an AI future with Image Mode.
-
OSJH and LPI Release 2024 Open Source Pros Job Survey Results
See what open source professionals look for in a new role.
-
Proton 9.0-1 Released to Improve Gaming with Steam
The latest release of Proton 9 adds several improvements and fixes an issue that has been problematic for Linux users.
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.