/*! @page tune_file_alloc File allocation @section tuning_system_file_block_grow File growth It's faster on some filesystems to grow a file in chunks rather than to extend it a block at a time as new blocks are written. By configuring the wiredtiger_open functions \c file_extend value, applications can grow files ahead of the blocks being written. @snippet ex_all.c Configure file_extend The system calls used to extend files in chunks on some systems require locking across the system call, which may decrease performance. Before configuring a \c file_extend value, before and after throughput should be carefully evaluated. @section tuning_system_file_block_allocation File block allocation By default, when file blocks are being reused, WiredTiger attempts to avoid file fragmentation by selecting the smallest available block rather than splitting a larger available block into two. The \c block_allocation configuration string to WT_SESSION::create can be set to \c first to change the algorithm to first-fit, that is, take the first available block in the file. Applications where file size is more of an issue than file fragmentation (for example, applications with fixed-size blocks) might want to configure this way. @snippet ex_all.c Configure block_allocation */