[SSD Basic] Do SSDs require defragmentation?

No, SSDs do NOT require defragmentation, and it is actually detrimental to their lifespan.

• HDDs and Fragmentation: Traditional HDDs benefit from defragmentation because it organizes data contiguously on the spinning platters, reducing the physical distance the read/write head has to travel, thus speeding up access times.
• SSDs and Fragmentation: SSDs access data electronically through flash memory. The physical location of data on the NAND chips has virtually no impact on access speed. When data is fragmented, the SSD controller can still access all the pieces simultaneously at very high speeds.
• Why Defragmenting is Bad: Running a defragmentation utility on an SSD performs a large number of unnecessary writes. Since NAND flash cells have a limited number of P/E cycles (write/erase cycles), defragmenting an SSD will only contribute to premature wear and tear, shortening its lifespan without offering any performance benefit.