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# NTFSPlus Becomes "NTFS" as Driver Moves Closer to Kernel Integration
- URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/ntfsplus-becomes-ntfs-linux/
- Published: 2025-12-30T08:05:37.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-30T08:05:37.000Z
- Description: The v3 patch series brings improved performance and new features while dropping the "Plus" moniker.
- Author: Sourav Rudra
- Tags: News

If you have been [staying up-to-date](https://itsfoss.com/newsletter/) on the happenings of Linux, then you most likely know about [NTFSPlus](https://itsfoss.com/ntfsplus/), the fresh [NTFS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS?ref=itsfoss.com) driver implementation for Linux, built by kernel developer [Namjae Jeon](https://github.com/namjaejeon?ref=itsfoss.com). He is known for his work on the exFAT driver and ksmbd SMB server.

The driver has been steadily improving, with each patch iteration bringing new features and performance gains.

Now there's a new development worth talking about.

## Same Function, New Name

Yesterday, Namjae submitted [the v3 patch series](https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAEg-Je9nZbN8LkjX2n9MqobXBv91NYZk5v08u1ptufn=hSXnCg@mail.gmail.com/t.atom?ref=itsfoss.com) for NTFSPlus to the Linux kernel mailing list, renaming NTFSPlus to just "***NTFS***" in the kernel. This has been done in a bid to restructure everything, using the old read-only NTFS driver as a base and applying changes on top of it.

According to [Phoronix](https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-NTFS-v3-Patches?ref=itsfoss.com), **this makes code review easier**, and maintainers can focus on what's new instead of treating everything as fresh code.

Further explaining [how this new NTFS implementation would work on Linux](https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20251229105932.11360-1-linkinjeon@kernel.org/?ref=itsfoss.com), Namjae mentions that the remade NTFS supports ***write operations*** plus essential features like ***iomap***, ***no buffer-head usage***, ***utilities***, and ***xfstests***.

Beyond the rename, **this patchset brings many important improvements**. New generic helpers handle cluster-to-folio conversions and byte-to-sector operations. The driver now allows readahead for the $MFT file, and the 2TB filesystem limitation on 32-bit systems has been removed.

**Performance-wise**, this NTFS adaptation is 3-5% faster than [NTFS3](https://docs.kernel.org/filesystems/ntfs3.html?ref=itsfoss.com) in single-threaded writes, but multi-threaded scenarios show 35-110% improvements. File listing is 12-14% quicker, and mount times are dramatically better: under a second for 4TB partitions versus 4+ seconds with NTFS3.

Do keep in mind that there are some features missing like full [journaling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journaling%5Ffile%5Fsystem?ref=itsfoss.com) support. Only journal replay exists right now, and even that doesn't work correctly according to Namjae. He plans to add proper journaling after the driver gets upstreamed.

The driver **is currently marked as experimental**, which makes sense given its development stage.