MacFUSE
macFUSE is an open source software that allows you to extend macOS's native file system capabilities using user-space file systems. It enables non-privileged user-space programs to create virtual file systems without writing kernel extensions.
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macos
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macFUSE: Extend macOS File System Capabilities
An open source software allowing non-privileged user-space programs to create virtual file systems on macOS, bypassing kernel extension writing requirements.
What is MacFUSE?
macFUSE is an open source software for macOS that provides a bridge between the Mac operating system's kernel and user-space file systems implemented as regular applications. It allows developers to create and implement virtual file systems without having to write kernel extensions.
Some key features and capabilities of macFUSE include:
- Enables user-space programs to export file system trees without requiring elevated privileges
- Supports common file system operations like mounting, unmounting, file reads/writes, etc.
- Integrates tightly with macOS's native File System APIs for consistency
- Maintains high performance through efficient kernel-userspace communication
- Open source software released under licenses acceptable for commercial and non-commercial use
- Allows implementing narrow-purpose virtual file systems as ordinary apps
- Supports supplementary capabilities like extended attributes and advanced locking
macFUSE makes it straightforward for developers to create virtual file systems tailored for specific use cases. For end users, it expands macOS's file system extensibility in a secure, robust way. Common examples of user file systems built on macFUSE include encrypted volumes, archive mounters, cloud storage adapters, and network file shares.
MacFUSE Features
Features
- Allows user-space file systems to be implemented without writing kernel extensions
- Provides a common API for user-space file systems to integrate with macOS
- Supports HFS+, NTFS, SMB, SSHFS and other major file system formats
- Allows file systems to be mounted and unmounted on demand
- File systems can be implemented in any language that can use the FUSE API
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Does not require writing kernel extensions, simplifying development
Allows new file system capabilities to be added without modifying the core OS
File systems can be implemented in user-space languages like Python, Java, etc.
Easier to install and manage than kernel-level file systems
Open source with an active development community
Cons
Slower performance than native kernel file systems in some cases
Limited to what the FUSE API exposes, less control than kernel extensions
File systems not tightly integrated into macOS, may lack native UI
Some features like Time Machine backups not supported
Additional software layer increases complexity
Official Links
The Best MacFUSE Alternatives
Top Os & Utilities and File System Extensions and other similar apps like MacFUSE
Here are some alternatives to MacFUSE:
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