FAQS

Q: What is Erofs?

A: EROFS (Enhanced Read-Only File System) is a file system designed primarily for read-only scenarios, such as in embedded systems, mobile devices, and other applications where data is predominantly read and rarely written. It was developed by Huawei and introduced in Linux kernel version 4.19.

EROFS offers advantages such as improved compression, reduced memory usage, and faster read speeds compared to traditional read-only file systems like SquashFS. It achieves these benefits through advanced compression techniques and optimizations tailored for specific use cases.

Q: What is dynamic partition?

A: Dynamic partitioning is a storage management technique used primarily in Android smartphones to optimize system updates and improve device storage utilization. In traditional partitioning schemes, the storage space on a device is divided into fixed partitions, such as system, vendor, boot, recovery, and userdata partitions. However, dynamic partitioning allows for more flexibility by creating dynamic partitions that can resize and adapt based on the needs of the system.

With dynamic partitioning, the system and vendor partitions are merged into a single super partition, which is further divided into smaller dynamic partitions. These dynamic partitions can expand or shrink as needed during system updates or when additional space is required for app installations or data storage.

Dynamic partitioning offers several advantages:

Space Optimization: Dynamic partitions allow for more efficient use of storage space by dynamically resizing partitions based on the system's requirements.

Faster Updates: By eliminating the need to repartition the device during system updates, dynamic partitioning speeds up the update process, reducing downtime for users.

Rollback Protection: Dynamic partitioning supports A/B system updates, enabling seamless rollback to the previous system version in case of update failures.

Improved Security: Dynamic partitions enhance security by isolating system components and user data, reducing the risk of data corruption or unauthorized access.

Overall, dynamic partitioning is a significant advancement in storage management for Android devices, offering greater flexibility, efficiency, and reliability in system updates and storage utilization.

Q: What is the difference between legacy partition and dynamic partition?

A: Legacy Partition:

Fixed Partition Sizes: In legacy partitioning schemes, the storage space on a device is divided into fixed partitions with predetermined sizes, such as system, vendor, boot, recovery, and userdata partitions.

Limited Flexibility: With fixed partition sizes, there is limited flexibility in storage utilization. Once a partition is allocated, its size cannot be easily changed without repartitioning the device, which can be complex and risky.

System Updates: Legacy partitioning requires repartitioning the device during system updates, which can be time-consuming and may result in data loss if not done correctly.

Dynamic Partition:

Dynamic Partition Sizes: Dynamic partitioning merges the system and vendor partitions into a single super partition and divides it into smaller dynamic partitions. These dynamic partitions can resize dynamically based on the system's requirements.

Flexibility: Dynamic partitioning offers greater flexibility in storage utilization. Partitions can expand or shrink as needed during system updates or when additional space is required for app installations or data storage.

System Updates: Dynamic partitioning eliminates the need to repartition the device during system updates. Updates are applied to inactive partitions, and the device can switch to the updated partition seamlessly, reducing downtime for users.

In summary, the main difference between legacy partitioning and dynamic partitioning lies in the flexibility of partition sizes and the handling of system updates. Legacy partitioning has fixed partition sizes and requires repartitioning during updates, while dynamic partitioning allows for dynamic resizing of partitions and seamless updates without repartitioning.