Introduction to zram

Introduction

zram is a native Linux memory compression module. It creates a virtual block device in memory, with all written data instantly compressed and stored. The most common use is as a swap device: it is more than ten times faster than traditional disk swap and significantly reduces disk wear. zram is often used on low-spec devices such as Raspberry Pi and routers, but even on machines with ample memory, enabling zram can boost performance and reduce out-of-memory issues. In short, zram swap is an enhancement that’s “harmless to enable, extremely useful in emergencies.”