---
name: "rofiles-fuse"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ostree"
version: "2026.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/rofiles-fuse"
---

# rofiles-fuse(1)

Use FUSE to create a view where directories are writable, files are immutable

## NAME

rofiles-fuse - Use FUSE to create a view where directories are writable, files are immutable

## SYNOPSIS

**rofiles-fuse SRCDIR MNTPOINT**

## DESCRIPTION

Creating a checkout from an OSTree repository by default uses hard links, which means an in-place mutation to any file corrupts the repository and all checkouts. This can be problematic if one wishes to run arbitrary programs against such a checkout. For example, RPM %post scripts or equivalent.

In the case where one wants to create a tree commit derived from other content, using **rofiles-fuse** in concert with **ostree commit --link-checkout-speedup** (or the underlying API) can ensure that only new files are checksummed.

## EXAMPLE: UPDATE AN OSTREE COMMIT

```
# Initialize a checkout and mount
$ ostree --repo=repo checkout somebranch branch-checkout
$ mkdir mnt
$ rofiles-fuse branch-checkout mnt
# Now, arbitrary changes to mnt/ are reflected in branch-checkout
$ echo somenewcontent > mnt/anewfile
$ mkdir mnt/anewdir
$ rm mnt/someoriginalcontent -rf
# Commit and cleanup
$ fusermount3 -u mnt
$ ostree --repo=repo commit --link-checkout-speedup -b somebranch -s 'Commit new content' --tree=dir=branch-checkout
$ rm mnt branch-checkout -rf
```

## SEE ALSO

[**ostree**(1)](/ostree/1.md)