Back to Commands

ram

storageLinux/Unix

The ram command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. ram Create a RAM disk or display information about RAM disks

See Examples View Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

ram

Category:

storage

Platform:

Linux/Unix

Basic Usage:

ram [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

Syntax

ram [options] size

Options

Option	Description
`-c, --filesystem=TYPE`	Specify filesystem type (default: ext4)
`-m, --mountpoint=DIR`	Mount point for the RAM disk
`-o, --owner=USER`	Owner of the RAM disk
`-g, --group=GROUP`	Group of the RAM disk
`-p, --permissions=MODE`	Access permissions for the RAM disk
`-l, --list`	List all RAM disks
`-r, --remove=DIR`	Remove a RAM disk
`-s, --stats`	Show RAM disk statistics
`-h, --help`	Display help information
`-v, --version`	Display version information

Examples

How to Use These Examples

The examples below show common ways to use the ram command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

# Basic Examples Basic

sudo ram 512M

Create a 512 MB RAM disk.

ram -l

List all currently mounted RAM disks.

# Advanced Examples Advanced

sudo ram -m /mnt/ramdisk 1G Create a 1 GB RAM disk mounted at /mnt/ramdisk. sudo ram -c ext4 256M Create a 256 MB RAM disk with ext4 filesystem. sudo ram -p 0770 -o user1 -g users 128M Create a 128 MB RAM disk with specific permissions, owner, and group. sudo ram -r /mnt/ramdisk Remove the RAM disk mounted at /mnt/ramdisk. sudo ram -s Show statistics about RAM disk usage. sudo ram -h Display help information about the ram command.

Try It Yourself

Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

Understanding Syntax

Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

Notes

The `ram` command is a utility for creating and managing RAM disks in Linux systems. A RAM disk is a portion of the system's RAM that is treated as if it were a disk drive. Since RAM is significantly faster than traditional storage media like HDDs or even SSDs, RAM disks provide extremely high-speed temporary storage. RAM disks are particularly useful for applications that require very high I/O performance, such as: 1. Temporary data processing: For operations that generate a lot of intermediate files that are only needed temporarily. 2. Database operations: Moving database files or transaction logs to a RAM disk can significantly improve database performance for certain operations. 3. Compile farms: Storing source code and build artifacts in RAM can speed up compilation processes. 4. Cache storage: Web servers, application servers, or any system that needs fast access to cached data. 5. Testing and benchmarking: Evaluating software performance without storage I/O bottlenecks. It's important to note that RAM disks are volatile - all data stored on them is lost when the system reboots or loses power. They should not be used for persistent data unless you implement a synchronization mechanism to back up the data to permanent storage. In Linux, RAM disks can be created through several methods: 1. The `tmpfs` filesystem: A modern implementation that dynamically allocates memory as needed, up to a specified limit. 2. The `ramfs` filesystem: Similar to tmpfs but without size limits, which can potentially use all system memory. 3. The traditional RAM disk (/dev/ram*): Fixed-size block devices in RAM that can be formatted with any filesystem. The `ram` command typically provides a simplified interface to create and manage these RAM disks, handling the underlying details of creating the device, formatting it with a filesystem, and mounting it at the desired location. When using RAM disks, it's crucial to monitor system memory usage to prevent excessive memory consumption that could lead to swapping or system instability. The size of RAM disks should be carefully chosen based on the available system memory and the requirements of the applications using them. Modern Linux distributions often use tmpfs automatically for directories like /tmp and /run, providing some of the benefits of RAM disks without requiring explicit configuration.

Related Commands

These commands are frequently used alongside ram or serve similar purposes:

Explore All Commands

Use Cases

Learn By Doing

The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the ram command works in different scenarios.

See Examples Try Lab Exercises

$ ram

View All Commands