As the Linux kernel continues to slim down and modernize, another ancient file system is about to bid farewell to the stage of history. EFS (Extent File System, Extended File System), which was previously the early default configuration of the IRIX operating system owned by the famous computer company SGI (Silicon Graphics), has been confirmed to be included in the removal plan and is expected to be completely eliminated in the upcoming Linux 7.3 kernel version.
As the predecessor of the once-famous XFS file system, EFS's history goes back decades. As early as the Linux 2.2 kernel period, developers introduced read-only support for EFS to Linux. Its core purpose is to facilitate users to read data in early SGI software CD-ROMs under Linux systems. However, with the iteration of technology, SGI itself abandoned EFS many years ago and fully shifted to the more modern and powerful XFS file system. In today's real environment, since it is no longer possible to create a new EFS file system, if ordinary users want to access it, the only way may be to download and mount those ancient SGI disc images from the Internet.
Linux kernel maintainers point out that the EFS file system driver in the Linux source tree has been essentially "unmaintained" for more than 20 years. Due to the long-term lack of repairs and updates to its code, it faces considerable risks in terms of security and overall system evolution, and is no longer suitable to remain in the mainline code of the modern kernel. After community debate over removal proposals in June, the cleanup plan now has a clear timeline for implementation.
In fact, the departure of EFS is just a microcosm of the wave of cleanup of obsolete file systems in the Linux kernel in recent years. In recent kernel versions, Linux has successively abandoned or removed old file systems such as ReiserFS and JFS that are also gradually fading out of the stage. According to the current development pace, the code related to the EFS file system will be officially removed during the next Linux 7.3 kernel merge window. This also means that this ancient technology that witnessed the glorious era of early workstations will finally come to an end in the Linux mainline.