Difference Between Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) are file systems used by macOS, Apple's proprietary operating system for its computers.

Mac OS Extended, also known as HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus), was introduced in 1998 as the successor to the original Hierarchical File System (HFS) used in Macintosh computers.

Mac OS Extended is designed to support larger volumes and file sizes than HFS, with improved file compression and more efficient use of storage space.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is a variant of Mac OS Extended that includes a journaling feature.

Journaling helps to protect against data loss in the event of a system crash or power outage by keeping track of changes to the file system in a separate log.

This makes it easier for the system to recover from errors and minimize data loss.

While both file systems are still supported in macOS, they have largely been superseded by the newer Apple File System (APFS), which was introduced in macOS High Sierra in 2017.

APFS is optimized for solid-state drives (SSDs) and provides enhanced security, encryption, and file sharing capabilities.

However, Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) remain relevant for users who require compatibility with older software or hardware, or who need to use disks with other operating systems.

What Is Mac OS Extended?

Mac OS Extended, also known as HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus), is a file system used by macOS, Apple's proprietary operating system for its computers.

It was introduced in 1998 as the successor to the original Hierarchical File System (HFS) used in Macintosh computers.

Mac OS Extended is designed to support larger volumes and file sizes than HFS, with improved file compression and more efficient use of storage space.

It supports Unicode file and folder names, and can store files with resource forks and extended attributes.

Resource forks are used to store additional metadata about a file, such as custom icons or data related to a particular application, while extended attributes are used to store additional file attributes such as permissions or timestamps.

Mac OS Extended also includes features such as hot file clustering, which groups frequently accessed files together on the hard drive for faster access, and support for hard links, which allow multiple files to share the same data on disk.

Mac OS Extended was widely used on Macs until the introduction of the Apple File System (APFS) in macOS High Sierra, which is now the default file system for all Macs with flash storage.

Despite being superseded by APFS, Mac OS Extended remains relevant for users who need to use disks with other operating systems or who require compatibility with older software or hardware.

What Is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is a variant of the Mac OS Extended file system used by macOS, Apple's proprietary operating system for its computers.

It includes a journaling feature that helps to protect against data loss in the event of a system crash or power outage.

Journaling is a technique that keeps track of changes made to the file system in a separate log called a journal.

Whenever a change is made to the file system, such as creating a new file or modifying an existing file, the journal records the change before it is made on disk.

If the system crashes or loses power before the change can be written to disk, the file system can use the journal to recover and restore the file system to its previous state.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) provides more reliable data protection than the standard Mac OS Extended file system.

However, it may be slightly slower than the standard Mac OS Extended file system due to the overhead of maintaining the journal.

For this reason, it is generally recommended to use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for critical data, such as system files, and to use the standard Mac OS Extended file system for less critical data, such as media files.

Difference Between Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

The main difference between Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the presence of a journaling feature in the latter.

Here are 10 key differences between the two file systems:

1. Journaling: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) includes a journaling feature to help protect against data loss in the event of a system crash or power outage.

   Mac OS Extended does not have this feature.

2. Recovery: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) allows for faster recovery in the event of a system crash or power outage due to the presence of the journal.

   Recovery with Mac OS Extended can take longer since the file system must check and repair any damage that occurred.

3. Performance: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) can be slightly slower than Mac OS Extended due to the overhead of maintaining the journal.

4. Reliability: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is generally considered to be more reliable than Mac OS Extended due to the presence of the journal.

5. Disk space: Mac OS Extended uses less disk space than Mac OS Extended (Journaled) because it doesn't need to store the journal.

6. Compatibility: Mac OS Extended is more widely supported by other operating systems and devices than Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

7. Encryption: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) supports encryption, while Mac OS Extended does not.

8. Time Machine: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the recommended file system for use with Time Machine, Apple's built-in backup software.

9. Disk Utility: Disk Utility, the built-in disk management tool in macOS, offers more options for working with Mac OS Extended (Journaled) than Mac OS Extended.

10. Default: Mac OS Extended was the default file system for macOS prior to macOS High Sierra, while Mac OS Extended (Journaled) has been the default file system since macOS High Sierra.

Relationship Between Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is a variant of the Mac OS Extended file system.

The primary difference between the two file systems is the presence of a journaling feature in Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

Both file systems are used by macOS, Apple's proprietary operating system for its computers.

They are designed to support larger volumes and file sizes than the original Hierarchical File System (HFS) used in Macintosh computers.

Both file systems support Unicode file and folder names, and can store files with resource forks and extended attributes.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) provides more reliable data protection than Mac OS Extended by including a journal that tracks changes made to the file system.

This journal can be used to recover data in the event of a system crash or power outage.

However, this comes at the cost of slightly reduced performance due to the overhead of maintaining the journal.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the recommended file system for use with Time Machine, Apple's built-in backup software.

It is also the default file system for macOS High Sierra and later.

However, Mac OS Extended may still be used in situations where journaling is not required or where compatibility with other operating systems or devices is important.

Similarities Between Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended(Journaled)

Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) share several similarities as they are both file systems used by macOS.

Here are some of their similarities:

1. Both file systems support larger volumes and file sizes than the original Hierarchical File System (HFS) used in Macintosh computers.

2. They both support Unicode file and folder names, allowing for the use of characters from different languages and scripts.

3. Both file systems can store files with resource forks and extended attributes, which provide additional information and metadata about the file.

4. They both support journaling, but only Mac OS Extended (Journaled) includes this feature by default.

   Journaling helps protect against data loss in the event of a system crash or power outage by tracking changes made to the file system.

5. Both file systems can be formatted and managed using Disk Utility, the built-in disk management tool in macOS.

6. They are both proprietary file systems developed and maintained by Apple, and are not commonly used on other operating systems or devices.

7. Both file systems can be used for general-purpose data storage, including applications, documents, media files, and system files.

Despite their similarities, the presence of journaling in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) makes it more reliable and suitable for critical data storage, while Mac OS Extended is better suited for less critical data storage.

Table of Comparison

Here is a table comparing Mac OS Extended and Mac OS Extended (Journaled):

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Conclusion:

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and Mac OS Extended are both file systems used by macOS.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is a variant of Mac OS Extended that includes a journaling feature, which helps protect against data loss in the event of a system crash or power outage.

While both file systems are designed to support larger volumes and file sizes than the original Hierarchical File System (HFS), Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is generally considered to be more reliable than Mac OS Extended due to the presence of the journal.

However, the journaling feature in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) comes at the cost of slightly reduced performance and increased disk space usage.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is recommended for use with Time Machine, Apple's built-in backup software, and is the default file system for macOS High Sierra and later.

However, Mac OS Extended may still be used in situations where journaling is not required or where compatibility with other operating systems or devices is important.