I use Btrfs with Parabola GNU/Linux-libre, a derivative distribution of Arch Linux. I use no snapshot management tools such as Snapper or Timeshift. I keep my system minimal and tidy. Everything is boring and predictable. I do not bork my system by mistake, except when something breaks after an odd update, usually once or twice per year. When it happens, I find a workaround (usually something needs to be downgraded) and file a bug report if there is none.

When I need to tinker with something that can possibly go out of control, like installing a new package for a program that I want to try out and I am not sure I will want to keep it, I take a snapshot of my current “pristine” system and boot into it. In the snapshot copy of my system I do all the dirty stuff I want to try out. When I am satisfied with my findings, I reboot into the main subvolume and delete the snapshot.

It seems to me that most people use Btrfs snapshots preemptively in case of unexpected failure. I use snapshots exactly when I know I am going to do something that can lead to instability or «OS rot». Am I the only one using Btrfs snapshots like this?

  • fmstratAEnglish
    3•23 days ago

    Why not do both?

    I use a script in cron that uses timestamps as snapshot names, and deletes old ones. Then I also take a snapshot with a timestamp right before doing anything dumb.

    You could even make a script called mksnap that figures out what zfs/btfs you’re in on the current folder and auto-snaps it.

    • DarioOP
      1•22 days ago

      This is an option, but I really do not need periodic snapshots.