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Revati S Misra

Revati S Misra

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Aryan Kumar

Aryan Kumar

19-Apr-2023

In a computer, a file system -- sometimes written filesystem -- is the way in which files are named and where they are placed logically for storage and retrieval. Without a file system, stored information wouldn't be isolated into individual files and would be difficult to identify and retrieve. As data capacities increase, the organization and accessibility of individual files are becoming even more important in data storage.

Digital file systems and files are named for and modeled after paper-based filing systems using the same logic-based method of storing and retrieving documents.

File systems can differ between operating systems (OS), such as Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux-based systems. Some file systems are designed for specific applications. Major types of file systems include distributed file systems, disk-based file systems and special purpose file systems.

Some of the main functions of a file system include:

  1. Organization: A file system organizes files into directories and subdirectories, allowing users to easily locate and manage their files.
  2. Storage management: A file system manages the space on a storage device by allocating and deallocating blocks of data as needed. It also tracks the location of files on the storage device and maintains file metadata, such as file size, permissions, and creation and modification dates.
  3. Access control: A file system provides access control mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access or modify files.
  4. Error handling: A file system includes error handling mechanisms to prevent data loss or corruption in case of system failures or unexpected events.

Some examples of file systems used in modern operating systems include NTFS (New Technology File System) used in Windows, APFS (Apple File System) used in macOS and iOS, and ext4 used in many Linux distributions.

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