The XFS File System
Fergus Toolan · 2025
XFS is a 64 bit journaled file system ported to Linux in 2001. It is the default file system in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). XFS uses many concepts found in modern file systems. This includes tree-based structures used to store most data, extent-based storage for file content and the possibility for extended attribute storage. As a 64 bit file system XFS can address the largest of disks and as such is suitable for use in modern computer systems. XFS shares many similarities with the ext family of file systems, such as similar inode structure, the use of extent-based storage and allocation groups (similar to block groups). With the growth in storage space of modern devices XFS is suggested as a possible replacement for ext4 in the near future. This would mean an increase in the number of devices using this file system and therefore its frequency in digital investigation.