How Do I Manage Swap Space in Linux?
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What is swap space in Linux?

Swap space in Linux is used when the amount of physical memory (RAM) is full. If the system needs more memory resources and the RAM is full, inactive pages in memory are moved to the swap space. … Swap space is located on hard drives, which have a slower access time than physical memory.

What happens if swap space is full?

3 Answers. Swap basically serves two roles – firstly to move out less used ‘pages’ out of memory into storage so memory can be used more efficiently. … If your disks arn’t fast enough to keep up, then your system might end up thrashing, and you’d experience slowdowns as data is swapped in and out of memory.

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Consumer Tech & Gadget Reviewer

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.

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