File system

A method and data structure for organizing, naming, storing, and retrieving files on a storage device or across a network. It defines how file contents and metadata are represented and accessed.

Directory: A structure that groups file-system entries and maps names to files or other directories. Directories form the familiar hierarchy through which many file systems organize names.
File: A named unit of data stored and managed by an operating system or other system. A file system organizes files as its primary named objects.
NTFS: The default modern file system for many Microsoft Windows installations, with journaling, permissions, and metadata features. NTFS illustrates a feature-rich file system designed for Windows volumes.
Object storage: A storage architecture that manages data as objects identified by keys, often with associated metadata. Object storage uses key-based access rather than a conventional hierarchical file namespace.
Journaling file system: A file system that records intended changes in a journal to help recover after interruption. Journaling reduces the risk of inconsistent metadata after a crash.
Inode: A Unix-like file-system record containing a file’s metadata and references to its data blocks. Inode-based systems separate a file’s identity and metadata from its directory name.
Pathname: A sequence of names that identifies a location in a file-system namespace. Pathnames express how directory structure leads to a file or directory.
ext4: A widely used Linux file system that supports journaling, extents, and large volumes. Ext4 is a common general-purpose file system on Linux systems.
Database: An organized collection of data managed for querying, updating, and controlled access. Databases structure records and queries differently from file systems’ named files.
Copy-on-write: A strategy that preserves existing data and writes changes to new locations before updating references. Copy-on-write can support snapshots and protect prior versions during updates.

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