Linux: Torvalds considers kicking out the Bcachefs file system

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Linus Torvalds has indicated that he wants to remove the experimental support for the still young Bcachefs file system in Linux 6.17. Whether this will actually happen remains to be seen. It remains to be seen whether this will actually happen, but what is certain is that after numerous disputes with Bcachefs developer Kent Overstreet, a new level of escalation has now been reached that is extremely rare in the Linux kernel.

New feature against the express will of Torvalds

The Linux inventor and lead developer mentioned the intention behind the ejection in a response to a merge request from Overstreet for Linux 6.16. This version is currently in the stabilization phase, in which developers are only supposed to submit bug fixes and no new features to Torvalds for inclusion. Nevertheless, the changes submitted by Overstreet contain not only corrections but also code that retrofits a new and still rudimentary mount option for emergency repairs.

Torvalds had already described this as a new feature a week earlier and rigorously rejected its inclusion. After a discussion, some of which took place on non-public mailing lists, Overstreet did not agree and sent in the code a second time. Torvalds accepted it this time, saying: "I think we'll be parting ways in the 6.17 merge window".

Repeated difficulties

There had already been similar friction between Torvalds and Overstreet a few months ago, although at that time, the ejection was not yet within reach. In addition, Overstreet had previously made unpleasant or even rude remarks to developers from other areas of the kernel on several occasions, scaring off numerous people who had previously been willing to help him. In one case, Overstreet insulted someone so severely that he was suspended for a development cycle for code-of-conduct violations – a first. There were also various disputes in the environment of the actual Bcachefs development, which caused co-developers to throw in the towel.

All of this may have scared off larger companies and Linux distributions that might have been considering getting involved in the development and use of Bcachefs. But it became more and more clear that a cooperative collaboration was impossible here –, as is usually the case with the Linux kernel, which has often significantly improved it and its file system code. As everywhere in life, there were and still are differences of opinion and occasionally minor power games, but these were nowhere near as blatant and frequent as with Bcachefs.

Ejection would not normally be an option

Removing a feature like Bcachefs is normally not even conceivable, because "no regressions that break user workflows" is one of the most important rules in the development of the Linux kernel. In the case of Bcachefs, however, this does not apply because the code adopted for Linux 6.7 in early 2024 is considered highly experimental.

(mho)