linux-free-swap

This is a simple program for RAM optimization on Linux. With it, it is possible to free up swap memory to improve system performance.

Preparing the Environment

To prepare the environment and compile the program, follow these steps:

  $ sudo apt-get install libc6-dev
  $ git clone https://github.com/brunoribeiro-lab/linux-free-swap # (or use the ssh link)
  $ cd linux-free-swap/
  $ sudo chmod +x install.sh && sudo chmod +x uninstall.sh

Installation

To install the program, simply run the install.sh script:

  $ sudo ./install.sh

This will:

• Clean, compile, and build the program.
• Set up a systemd service for dropcaches.
• Enable and start the service automatically.

The program will run as a background service, regularly freeing up swap memory to help optimize your system.

Configuration

Once installed, you can modify the program’s behavior by editing its configuration file located at /etc/dropcache.conf

[Settings]
debug = 0
cache_ram_threshold = 50
sleep_time = 5

Configuration Options:

• debug: Set to 1 to enable debug logs (default is 0).
• cache_ram_threshold: The percentage of RAM (including cache and buffers) to be cleared before triggering swap freeing (default is 50).
• sleep_time: The time (in seconds) the program waits before checking swap usage again (default is 5).

Modify these values based on your system's needs.

Uninstallation

To uninstall the program and remove the service, run the following command:

  $ sudo ./uninstall.sh

This will:

• Stop and disable the service.
• Remove the systemd service file.
• Clean up any leftover binaries and object files.

Service Status

After installation, you can check the status of the service with:

  $ sudo systemctl status dropcaches.service

This will show whether the service is active and running.