File System
A method for organizing and storing files on storage media, managing how data is stored and retrieved.
Also: filesystem
Definition
A file system is the method and data structure an operating system uses to control how data is stored and retrieved on storage media. File systems organize data into files and directories, manage metadata (permissions, timestamps, owner), handle free space allocation, and provide naming conventions. Common file systems include NTFS (Windows), ext4 (Linux), APFS (macOS), and FAT32 (cross-platform, older). Distributed file systems like HDFS handle data storage across multiple machines.
Example
“When you save a Word document on Windows, NTFS records the file's contents, name, location, creation date, permissions, and size in its internal metadata structures.”
Synonyms
- file manager
- disk organization system
- storage manager
Images
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Related Terms
- kernel
- storage
- inodes
- disk