Free vs. Available Memory in Linux

[ashitlerferad]

https://haydenjames.io/free-vs-available-memory-in-linux/

[mkhnews]

Hi, Q: On recent linux, if free mem is 1GB and available mem is 10GB and swap free is 2GB and at that moment a program calls calloc(4GB), would you expect the calloc() return ok or fail ? thx, -m

[ashitlerferad → mkhnews]

quote: "this number should *almost always* be small". "case by case" basis. What use case have you have this 4GB calloc requirement?

[mkhnews → ashitlerferad]

Hi, I think I'm agreeing with the OP, or perhaps with other past posts from OP, that with more swap free the calloc(4GB) should be ok. If available mem is clean bufpages would those be let go to make room for the calloc ?