How to remove a swap file in Linux

Swap space in Linux is used when the amount of physical memory (RAM) is full. If the system needs more memory resources and the RAM is full, inactive pages in memory are moved to the swap space. While swap space can help machines with a small amount of RAM, it shouldn't be considered a replacement for more RAM. Swap space is located on hard drives, which are slower than RAM.

Over time, system administrators might find the need to adjust the swap space to suit evolving requirements. This might involve adding more swap, reducing existing swap, or even entirely removing a swap file. Removing an unnecessary swap file can free up valuable disk space.

1. Disable the swap file to stop using it.

   $ sudo swapoff /path/to/swapfile

2. Remove the swap file entry from the fstab file. Open the file in a text editor.

   $ sudo nano /etc/fstab

3. Locate the line with the swap file path and remove it.
4. Delete the swap file from the file system.

   $ sudo rm /path/to/swapfile

   Ensure that you've correctly specified the swap file path to avoid deleting unintended files.

5. Verify that the swap file is removed by checking the swap summary.

   $ swapon --show

   If the swap file was successfully removed, it should not appear in the output of this command.

6. Finally, you might consider optimizing the system for running without the swap or with reduced swap. Adjust sysctl parameters or other related system settings accordingly.

Remember to monitor the system's performance after making changes to swap configurations. It's essential to ensure the machine continues to operate optimally without the removed swap space. If any issues arise, consider adding a swap partition or file to alleviate any memory pressures.