1 Jan
2022
1 Jan
'22
3:18 a.m.
Classically, files don't get de-allocated (their blocks re-added to the filesystem
free list) until the last open reference to their inode is removed, even if the file name
is removed from all directories.
This behavior is commonly used for temporary files: open(2) with O_CREAT and unlink(2),
and file disappears when the file descriptor is finally closed or the process exits
without explicitly closing the descriptor (the kernel will close all descriptors
associated with an exiting process).
Where process accounting is concerned, the kernel itself holds the inode reference until
it is explictly told to turn off process accounting. See acct(2).
Erik Fair