BTRFS paste via copy-on-write

[techeddie]

What system are you running Yazi on?

Linux X11

What terminal are you running Yazi in?

ghostty

yazi --debug output

Yazi
    Version: 25.5.31 (Arch Linux 2025-06-01)
    Debug  : false
    Triple : x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (linux-x86_64)
    Rustc  : 1.87.0 (17067e9a 2025-05-09)

Ya
    Version: 25.5.31 (Arch Linux 2025-06-01)

Emulator
    TERM                : Some("ghostty")
    TERM_PROGRAM        : Some("tmux")
    TERM_PROGRAM_VERSION: Some("3.5a")
    Brand.from_env      : Some(Ghostty)
    Emulator.detect     : Emulator { kind: Left(Ghostty), light: false, csi_16t: (8, 18), force_16t: false }

Adapter
    Adapter.matches    : Kgp
    Dimension.available: Dimension { rows: 55, columns: 117, width: 936, height: 990 }

Desktop
    XDG_SESSION_TYPE           : Some("x11")
    WAYLAND_DISPLAY            : None
    DISPLAY                    : Some(":0")
    SWAYSOCK                   : None
    HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE: None
    WAYFIRE_SOCKET             : None

SSH
    shared.in_ssh_connection: false

WSL
    WSL: false

Variables
    SHELL           : Some("/bin/zsh")
    EDITOR          : Some("nvim")
    VISUAL          : Some("nvim")
    YAZI_FILE_ONE   : None
    YAZI_CONFIG_HOME: None
    YAZI_ZOXIDE_OPTS: None
    FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS: Some("--no-height --color=bg+:#343d46,gutter:-1,pointer:#ff3c3c,info:#0dbc79,hl:#ff6600,hl+:#23d18b --height=80% --color=bg+:#232530,bg:#1c1e26,spinner:#24a8b4,hl:#e53f1b --color=fg:#9da0a2,header:#e53f1b,info:#efb993,pointer:#71e51b --color=marker:#71e51b,fg+:#dcdfe4,prompt:#71e51b,hl+:#e53f1b")

Text Opener
    default     : Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })
    block-create: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })
    block-rename: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })

Multiplexers
    TMUX               : true
    tmux version       : tmux 3.5a
    tmux build flags   : enable-sixel=Unknown
    ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME: None
    Zellij version     : No such file or directory (os error 2)

Dependencies
    file          : 5.46
    ueberzugpp    : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    ffmpeg/ffprobe: 7.1.1 / 7.1.1
    pdftoppm      : 25.06.0
    magick        : 7.1.1-47
    fzf           : 0.62.0
    fd/fdfind     : 10.2.0 / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    rg            : 14.1.1
    chafa         : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    zoxide        : 0.9.8
    7zz/7z        : No such file or directory (os error 2) / 24.09
    resvg         : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    jq            : 1.8.1

Clipboard
    wl-copy/paste: No such file or directory (os error 2) / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    xclip        : 0.13
    xsel         : 1.2.1

Routine
    `file -bL --mime-type`: text/plain


See https://yazi-rs.github.io/docs/plugins/overview#debugging on how to enable logging or debug runtime errors.

Describe the question

how to use copy-on-write on linux with yazi? example from terminal:
cp -r --reflink=auto flatpak flatpak2

tried this snippet from chat gpt without success:

[manager]
"P" = "cow_paste"

[cow_paste]
run = '''
if [[ "$YAZI_CUT" == "yank" ]]; then
  for src in "${YAZI_FILES[@]}"; do
    cp -r --reflink=auto "$src" "$1"
  done
fi
'''
desc = "Paste using cp with CoW (reflink)"

similar integration on lf:
https://github.com/gokcehan/lf/wiki/Tips#show-progress-for-file-copying

appreciate your time

Anything else?

No response

Checklist

• I have read all the documentation
• I have searched the existing discussions/issues

[sxyazi]

Yazi uses Rust's std::io::copy() to copy files on Linux, which already supports Copy-on-Write (CoW) - once CoW is available, it will be enabled automatically.

This corresponds to the copy_file_range system call, which tries to clone the file directly instead of copying it, so there's no point in implementing it yourself.

However, there is indeed a community plugin called reflink.yazi, which invokes cp -a --reflink=always. Allegedly, it's somewhat faster than Yazi, though I haven't tested it myself, the underlying system calls might be the same, you can give it a try.

[techeddie]

okay, thanks for the details. I was just testing reflink.yazi but it seems not to work (anymore).