No. You can configure swap (or not) however you like, either through manual partitioning / "expert" installer or later after the system is installed. A large swap partition by default is to allow for hibernation.Does Debian require a separate swap partition?
Some swap is advisable even if you don't need it for hibernation though, as it improves memory-management efficiency. Whether that is a partition or a file and what size is up to you.
Traditionally (i.e. on mehanical disks) a partition is preferred, as it reduces fragmentation and allows swap to be placed on the part of the disk with the lowest seek-time. With SSDs it doesn't really matter.
This applies to all GNU/Linux distros, any percieved "requirement" to use one or the other is a limitation of the installer, nothing more.
Statistics: Posted by steve_v — 2024-06-15 09:43