Linux Storage Stack Diagram

The Linux Storage Stack Diagram shows the layout of the the Linux storage stack.

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v6.16

Downloads

Diagram for Linux Kernel 6.16

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v6.6:

• PDF (other formats will follow soon)
• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v6.2 (20250821): ZIP (includes .drawio and .svg) PDF PNG

Changelog:

• zoned loop block device zloop (Kernel 6.16)
• NFS Adds LOCALIO Protocol For "Extreme" Performance Boost (Kernel 6.12)
• null_blk: remove the bio based I/O path (Kernel 6.9)

Diagram for Linux Kernel 6.9

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v6.9:

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v6.2 (20230309): ZIP (includes .drawio and .svg) PDF PNG

Changelog:

• dm-vdo added (Kernel 6.9)
• ext2 removed (Kernel 6.9, ext2, like ext3, is also supported by the ext4 code)
• bcachefs added (Kernel 6.7)
• EROFS added (since Kernel 5.4 not experimental any more)

Diagram for Linux Kernel 6.2

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v6.2 (for Linux Kernel 6.2 and 6.1):

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v6.2 (20230309): ZIP (includes .drawio and .svg) PDF PNG

Diagram for Linux Kernel 4.10

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v4.10 (for Linux Kernel 4.10):

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v4.10 (20170310): SVG PDF PNG

Diagram for Linux Kernel 4.0

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v4.0 (for Linux Kernel 4.0):

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v4.0 (20150601): SVG PDF PNG

Diagram for Linux Kernel 3.17

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v3.17 (for Linux Kernel 3.17):

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v3.17 (20141001): SVG PDF PNG

Diagram for Linux Kernel 3.3

Linux Storage Stack Diagram v1.0 (for Linux Kernel 3.3):

• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v1.0 (20120620): SVG PDF PNG
• Linux I/O Stack Diagram v0.1 (20120306): SVG PDF PNG

License

The Linux Storage Stack Diagram is licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Citations of the Diagram

• Linux NVMe and block layer status update (SDC 2019) (Christoph Hellwig, SDC 2019)
• Überblick des Linux Storage Stack (Christoph Hellwig, Froscon 2015)

References

Author: Werner Fischer Werner Fischer, working in the Knowledge Transfer team at Thomas-Krenn, completed his studies of Computer and Media Security at FH Hagenberg in Austria. He is a regular speaker at many conferences like LinuxTag, OSMC, OSDC, LinuxCon, and author for various IT magazines. In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and training for a good result at the annual Linz marathon relay.