Ready for the Switch

General Linux Question
2

If I were you, I would do the following in exactly the order shown:
NOTE: All this assumes GPT partition tables + EFI-only boot on your computers.

  1. linux-swap @ 12GB
  2. /boot : ext4 @ 1GB
  3. / : ext4 @ 30GB
  4. /home : ext4 @ 30GB
  5. /usr : ext4 @ 30GB
  6. /usr/local : ext4 @ 5GB
  7. unallocated space @ 121GB
  8. /boot/efi : fat32 @ 0.3GB

Explanation:

  1. It has to be at the beginning of the disk, to improve performance. Due to more than enough space on your disk, I chose to set the swap partition to 3 times the available RAM.
  2. Secondary partition, due to performance reasons. Set to at least 1GB to have plenty of space for older kernels, etc. One of the nightmares of Linux users is to fill up the /boot parition and not being able to change anything there and possibly not being able to boot the system, except after a choreful cleanup.
  3. Third partition due to performance reasons. Root partition with more than enough space.
  4. /home partition with enough space? You may increase it if you download tons of stuff.
  5. Where all your apps are saved. For me, 30GB is enough. You should increase it if you’re using photo, music or video production software.
  6. Config files for your apps. 5GB is too much, but I rather have a bit too much than having a tiny bit too little space in like 3 years of daily usage.
  7. Linux really doesn’t waste space. It is very kind and thrifty. I think you can provide much more flexibility, without downsides, when you leave some space open. You don’t know what you need the space for in 3 years and you certainly don’t need 100GB on your /home or root partition, except you download tons of stuff. But, if you download so much, you should save it on a separate drive, anyway. So, keep the not yet needed space in standby mode.
  8. Put this at the end of the disk. It’s just there to assure that EFI is running correctly. Doesn’t need performance, it just needs to be there, uncorrupted, that’s it. It also has to be FAT32, you cannot change that.

This is how I would probably do it if I were you. The layout is the most important part, as you can change the sizes to suit your needs. The sizes that I chose there are way more than enough for an average user, though. You may also change the file system types on the partitions, except on swap and efi partitions. I don’t see the need in that, though.

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