How does copy on write work, and how do clones grow apart? What effect do they have on the use of space and performance?
snapshot
Deleting two large files from a volume triggered the updating of figures for purgeable and available space within 9 seconds. Yet 6 minutes later, the Finder didn’t show those updated figures.
Performed by CacheDelete, it first looks at a wide range of macOS caches, and only at the end purges snapshots, to free up space when it runs short.
Good space management doesn’t bring new emoji, but it makes a big difference when the Finder doesn’t give completely inaccurate figures for Available space. A practical demonstration of its gross errors.
Details of what happens when an APFS (Encrypted) volume is mounted, when mounting a Time Machine snapshot, unmounting a volume, and loading a Cryptex.
When you updated your iPhone or iPad to iOS 10.3 six years ago, you were among the first to use Apple File System, although you didn’t know it at the time.
Detailed account from the decision to start making an automatic backup to its final reporting and completion, for Ventura 13.2.1 to local storage.
You’re running bit short of disk space, so put tens of GB of old files into the Trash, then empty it. Why doesn’t the amount of free space increase?
You’re in control of a traditional file system, but with snapshots, clones, sparse files and other volumes sharing free space, APFS isn’t as simple.
A simple worked example showing the effect of snapshots and changes in hidden system files in consuming free space on APFS.
The Eclectic Light Company 