Microsoft has introduced new features in Windows 11 that benefit
developers, including Dev Drives and the Dev Home application.
Dev Drives are specialized storage volumes optimized for development performance,
while the Dev Home app controls these drives and offers centralized controls.
These drives are trusted by Windows Security, bypassing security checks,
resulting in up to nearly 30% performance boost over regular partitions.
Anyone can create a Dev Drive, provided their system meets specific
requirements, including at least 8 GB of RAM and 50 GB of free disk space.
Virtualization should also enabled for VHD creation.
A Dev Drive utilizes the Resilient File System and other optimizations
to outperform regular partitions.
They are particularly beneficial for developers, offering faster access to
project files, code repositories, and libraries, enhancing overall productivity.
To create a Dev Drive, you can use unallocated disk space, shrink an existing
volume, or create a Virtual Hard Drive.
The settings for the Dev Drives be found within the Settings app.
To access them, open the Settings app, System on the left, then click Storage.
Here expand “Advanced storage and then click Disks and Volumes.
Now, click “Create Dev Drive” to create and choose one of your desired methods.
You can create a new virtual hard drive, resize an existing one, or
select an unallocated disk space.
Select one, and proceed with on-screen instructions to create it.
While following the setup guide, make sure that your configurations
satisfy the minimum requirements.
Once done, the Dev Drive should created and ready to use.
To delete a Dev Drive in case it is no longer needed, you can do so from the
Settings app or the Disk Management console.
If you create a VHD, then it needs to dismounted and deleted like any regular VHD.
In summary, Dev Drives in Windows 11 are specialized storage volumes optimized
for developers, providing improved performance for development tasks and
requiring specific system requirements.
They can be created using various methods and deleted when no longer
needed, making them a valuable tool for developers looking to boost productivity.