---
name: "nilfs_cleanerd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "nilfs-utils"
version: "2.3.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nilfs_cleanerd"
---

# nilfs\_cleanerd(8)

NILFS2 garbage collector

## NAME

nilfs\_cleanerd - NILFS2 garbage collector

## SYNOPSIS

**nilfs\_cleanerd** \[**-hV**\]

**nilfs\_cleanerd** \[*options*\] *device* \[*directory*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**nilfs\_cleanerd** is a system daemon which reclaims disk space of a NILFS2 file system found in *device*.

The optional *directory* argument specifies the mount point where the daemon operates.  It must be an r/w-mount.

This program can be invoked either automatically by [**mount.nilfs2**(8)](/mount.nilfs2/8.md) or manually by an administrator.  However,  users are recommended to invoke **nilfs\_cleanerd** through [**mount.nilfs2**(8)](/mount.nilfs2/8.md) or [**mount**(8)](/mount/8.md) and shut down it through [**umount.nilfs2**(8)](/umount.nilfs2/8.md) or [**umount**(8)](/umount/8.md) in order to avoid state inconsistencies among administration tools.

**nilfs\_cleanerd** displays its process ID (pid) to standard output when it started.

## OPTIONS

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version and exit.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help message and exit.

- **-c** *file*, **--conf**=*file*

  Specify configuration file.

- **-p** *interval*, **--protection-period**=*interval*

  Override protection period with the specified number of seconds.

## SIGNALS

**nilfs\_cleanerd** reacts to a set of signals.  You may send a signal to **nilfs\_cleanerd** using the *PID* shown by the mount command (or in */etc/mtab*):

- **# mount -t nilfs2**

  /dev/sdb1 on /nilfs type nilfs2 (rw,gcpid=*PID*)\
   **# kill -*SIGNAL* *PID***

- **SIGHUP**

  This lets **nilfs\_cleanerd** perform a re-initialization.  The configuration file (default is */etc/nilfs\_cleanerd.conf*) will be reread.

- **SIGINT, SIGTERM**

  The **nilfs\_cleanerd** will exit cleanly.

- **SIGUSR1**

  This lets **nilfs\_cleanerd** dump the state into the system logger.

- **SIGUSR2**

  Reserved for future use.  This signal is ignored.  If the version of nilfs-utils is equal to or older than 2.2.5, this lets **nilfs\_cleanerd** die.

## FILES

- */etc/nilfs\_cleanerd.conf*

  Configuration file for **nilfs\_cleanerd**. See [**nilfs\_cleanerd.conf**(5)](/nilfs_cleanerd.conf/5.md) for details.

## AUTHOR

Koji Sato, Ryusuke Konishi \<konishi.ryusuke@gmail.com\>.

## AVAILABILITY

**nilfs\_cleanerd** is part of the nilfs-utils package and available from https://nilfs.sourceforge.io.

## SEE ALSO

[**nilfs**(8)](/nilfs/8.md), [**mount.nilfs2**(8)](/mount.nilfs2/8.md), [**umount.nilfs2**(8)](/umount.nilfs2/8.md), [**nilfs\_cleanerd.conf**(5)](/nilfs_cleanerd.conf/5.md).