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Posted by ingve 4/14/2025

Unix files have (at least) two sizes(utcc.utoronto.ca)
68 points | 34 commentspage 2
msephton 4/17/2025|
On macOS you can see both if you do Get Info on a file
its-summertime 4/17/2025||
symbolic links in ext4 can be stored in the inode data, meaning zero bytes in the file representing the symbolic link itself (of course, the inode data is bigger as a result(?))

small files in btrfs can be stored in the metadata blocks instead of data blocks

Dylan16807 4/17/2025|
I think you mean the actual size, and in that case no it's not bigger. Inodes are a fixed size, usually 256 bytes, and a file strictly has one inode. The only growth happens in data blocks.

It's also worth looking at NTFS, where a file can have multiple records, the equivalent of inodes. But it uses the same logic for tiny files. If it doesn't fit inside the base record, it goes into a data block. Multiple records only show up for large amounts of metadata.

m463 4/18/2025|
site won't load - accuses me of using a suspiciously old browser. lol