Linux is well-known for its stellar performance and stability. However, like any other operating system, it can slow down over time due to a variety of factors such as accumulated files, running of heavy applications, etc. The good news is that there are several tweaks and optimizations you can make to speed up your Linux machine. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some tips on how to make Linux run faster.
1. Reduce Startup Applications
Many applications are set to start automatically when Linux boots. While this might be helpful for some applications, unnecessary startup applications eat up resources and slow down your system. To manage startup applications in Linux, you can use the ‘Startup Applications’ tool. You can access this by typing ‘Startup Applications’ in the system search bar, and then untick any application that you don’t need to start up with your system.
2. Use a Lightweight Desktop Environment
If you are running Linux on an older machine, heavy desktop environments like GNOME or KDE can slow down your system. Instead, you can use lightweight desktop environments such as LXDE, XFCE, or Mate which require less system resources. For example, to install LXDE on Ubuntu, you can use the following command:
sudo apt-get install lxde
3. Use a Lighter Web Browser
If you find your web browsing slow, consider switching to a more lightweight browser such as Midori or Falkon. These are especially good for older systems with less RAM. They may not offer all the features of browsers like Chrome or Firefox but they are sufficient for basic browsing and consume fewer resources.
4. Clean Up Your System Regularly
Over time, your Linux system can accumulate a lot of unnecessary files which take up disk space and slow down your system. To clean your system, you can use a tool like BleachBit, which is similar to CCleaner on Windows. Install it using the following command on Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install bleachbit
Once installed, run BleachBit as root, select the options you want and click on ‘Clean’.
5. Use Swappiness
Swappiness is a Linux kernel parameter that controls how much the kernel favors swap space over RAM. A high swappiness value means that the kernel will swap to the disk very often which could lead to slower performance. You can check your system’s swappiness value with the following command:
cat /proc/sys/vm/swappiness
A good rule of thumb is to keep swappiness value around 10-20. To set swappiness to 10, use the following command:
sudo sysctl vm.swappiness=10
Note: This change is temporary and will be lost at next reboot. To make it permanent, add vm.swappiness=10 to /etc/sysctl.conf file.
Conclusion
These are just a few ways you can make your Linux system run faster. It’s important to note that these tips aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution to performance issues on Linux. What works best for you will depend on your specific use case and hardware. Experiment with different settings and see what works best for your system.