Scroll to navigation

BTRFS(8) Btrfs Manual BTRFS(8)

NAME

btrfs - a toolbox to manage btrfs filesystems

SYNOPSIS

btrfs <command> [<args>]

DESCRIPTION

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).

COMMAND SYNTAX

Any command name can be shortened as far as it stays 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.

COMMANDS

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.

STANDALONE TOOLS

There are several standalone tools to provide certain functionality. If the functionality proves to be useful, the standalone tools are declared obsolete and their functionality copied to the main tool. The deprecation period is long (years) and the obsolete binaries are still provided.
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
btrfs-show-super
moved to btrfs inspect-internal dump-super
btrfs-zero-log
moved to btrfs rescue zero-log

EXIT STATUS

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

AVAILABILITY

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

SEE ALSO

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)
10/02/2016 Btrfs v4.7.3