Manpages - btrfs.8

btrfs - a toolbox to manage btrfs filesystems

btrfs <command> [/<args>/]

The btrfs utility is a toolbox for managing btrfs filesystems. There are command groups to work with subvolumes, devices, for whole filesystem or other specific actions. See section COMMANDS.

There are also standalone tools for some tasks like btrfs-convert or btrfstune that were separate historically and/or haven’t been merged to the main utility. See section STANDALONE TOOLS for more details.

For other topics (mount options, etc) please refer to the separate manual page *btrfs*(5).

Any command name can be shortened so long as the shortened form is unambiguous, however, it is recommended to use full command names in scripts. All command groups have their manual page named *btrfs-*/<group>/.

For example: it is possible to run btrfs sub snaps instead of btrfs subvolume snapshot. But btrfs file s is not allowed, because file s may be interpreted both as filesystem show and as filesystem sync.

If the command name is ambiguous, the list of conflicting options is printed.

For an overview of a given command use btrfs command –help or btrfs [command…] –help –full to print all available options.

balance

Balance btrfs filesystem chunks across single or several devices.

See *btrfs-balance*(8) for details.

check

Do off-line check on a btrfs filesystem.

See *btrfs-check*(8) for details.

device

Manage devices managed by btrfs, including add/delete/scan and so on.

See *btrfs-device*(8) for details.

filesystem

Manage a btrfs filesystem, including label setting/sync and so on.

See *btrfs-filesystem*(8) for details.

inspect-internal

Debug tools for developers/hackers.

See *btrfs-inspect-internal*(8) for details.

property

Get/set a property from/to a btrfs object.

See *btrfs-property*(8) for details.

qgroup

Manage quota group(qgroup) for btrfs filesystem.

See *btrfs-qgroup*(8) for details.

quota

Manage quota on btrfs filesystem like enabling/rescan and etc.

See *btrfs-quota*(8) and *btrfs-qgroup*(8) for details.

receive

Receive subvolume data from stdin/file for restore and etc.

See *btrfs-receive*(8) for details.

replace

Replace btrfs devices.

See *btrfs-replace*(8) for details.

rescue

Try to rescue damaged btrfs filesystem.

See *btrfs-rescue*(8) for details.

restore

Try to restore files from a damaged btrfs filesystem.

See *btrfs-restore*(8) for details.

scrub

Scrub a btrfs filesystem.

See *btrfs-scrub*(8) for details.

send

Send subvolume data to stdout/file for backup and etc.

See *btrfs-send*(8) for details.

subvolume

Create/delete/list/manage btrfs subvolume.

See *btrfs-subvolume*(8) for details.

New functionality could be provided using a standalone tool. If the functionality proves to be useful, then the standalone tool is declared obsolete and its functionality is copied to the main tool. Obsolete tools are removed after a long (years) depreciation period.

Tools that are still in active use without an equivalent in btrfs:

btrfs-convert

in-place conversion from ext2/3/4 filesystems to btrfs

btrfstune

tweak some filesystem properties on a unmounted filesystem

btrfs-select-super

rescue tool to overwrite primary superblock from a spare copy

btrfs-find-root

rescue helper to find tree roots in a filesystem

Deprecated and obsolete tools:

btrfs-debug-tree

moved to btrfs inspect-internal dump-tree. Removed from source distribution.

btrfs-show-super

moved to btrfs inspect-internal dump-super, standalone removed.

btrfs-zero-log

moved to btrfs rescue zero-log, standalone removed.

For space-constrained environments, it’s possible to build a single binary with functionality of several standalone tools. This is following the concept of busybox where the file name selects the functionality. This works for symlinks or hardlinks. The full list can be obtained by btrfs help –box.

btrfs returns a zero exit status if it succeeds. Non zero is returned in case of failure.

btrfs is part of btrfs-progs. Please refer to the btrfs wiki http://btrfs.wiki.kernel.org for further details.

*btrfs*(5), *btrfs-balance*(8), *btrfs-check*(8), *btrfs-convert*(8), *btrfs-device*(8), *btrfs-filesystem*(8), *btrfs-inspect-internal*(8), *btrfs-property*(8), *btrfs-qgroup*(8), *btrfs-quota*(8), *btrfs-receive*(8), *btrfs-replace*(8), *btrfs-rescue*(8), *btrfs-restore*(8), *btrfs-scrub*(8), *btrfs-send*(8), *btrfs-subvolume*(8), *btrfstune*(8), *mkfs.btrfs*(8)