Discover the 7 types of file systems you need to know about

Have you ever wondered how a computer handles files on a hard disk, such as storing, retrieving, and reading data?

Types of file systems
Types of file systems

In this article, let us learn about file management systems, what are their benefits and what are they? Types of file systems Used in operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac and other systems.

What is a file system?

File systems are the way that enables the operating system to control the storage, reading and management of data within a storage space such as (hard disk, flash memory, etc.). We can say that file systems are more like data structures that start working with the system booting and create a complete record of files and directories in storage units. There are many Types of file systems Various and used by many companies such as Microsoft, Apple and others.


File systems function

The function of file systems in the computer is one of the most important functions without which the system will not be able to locate or store any files. There are three main functions of file systems, which are organizing data by dividing the disk into units called files or folders, assigning names to files and recording metadata for them, also storing data such as writing the contents of files or reading the contents of files, managing spaces and encryption to increase security and other important things provided by all types of file systems.

Space management and control

File systems perform a comprehensive scan of the hard disk to find out the free and used storage units from the total storage space, and organize the folders and files in each partition.

File names

One of the important concepts of file systems is the filename, which is used to identify the locations of file storage on the file system so that the user can easily find them. Some systems distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters, while others do not allow this, for example (FILE, file).

Guide

File systems use directories to separate a group of files from the rest and put them together in a separate place. This directory is called a “folder.” This is done by placing a pointer to the directory within the main table of contents in the file system, as in the NTFS system of Windows.

The directory structure can be one layer or multiple layers and allow for subfolders, or a system that allowed for a hierarchy of directories was the “MultiX” system from which most other systems took inspiration for the hierarchy of directories.

File Description

We can say that it is the data specific to each file such as the file size, which is calculated by calculating the number of bytes that the file occupies in memory, the time and date on which the file was added to the file system's tables of contents, encoding, etc.

What is file organization?

It is the process of arranging files and folders on a computer or other storage device in a way that makes them easy to find and use. File organization is essential to preserve data and prevent it from being lost.

What are the types of file systems?

The most famous types of file systems
The most famous types of file systems

File systems are very important for the system to be able to deal with files correctly, as we explained above. Let us now learn about the common types of file systems. There are many different types of file systems that were or are still used today.

FAT32

FAT32 file system
File allocation table

The FAT file system, which stands for File allocation table, is one of the oldest types of file systems, which was first introduced in 1980 under the name FAT12. This system was then developed in 1984 by Microsoft in cooperation with IBM under the name FAT16. Then, in 1996, Microsoft developed the system to FAT32, which is the most common file system to date.

FAT32 is used in external storage units such as USB flash drives and memory cards found in phones. The popularity of this system is due to its high compatibility with most operating systems, so everyone uses it.

The difference in numbers for each model means the size of the disk compartments and the size of the largest file. Here is a table showing those sizes.

NTFS

NTFS file system
New Technology File System

The New Technology File System, or NTFS for short, is the most widely used file system by Windows. It was released in 1993 as an alternative to FAT32 and exceeds the maximum file size. The maximum file size in NTFS is 16 exabytes. To know what this means, I would like to tell you that 1 exabyte equals one million terabytes. This means that at the present time, the maximum file size in NTFS is infinite.

This type of file system also saves a record of changes that occur to files, which means that no file is lost in the event of a malfunction or sudden power outage, and you can restore it again. It also supports permissions, meaning that a specific file can be indicated as readable, and it also supports data encryption, which makes it the best file system for operating systems.

Note: If you want to use or are using Windows, make sure that the hard disk that contains the system files (version) supports the NTFS file system to get the best performance.

exFAT

exFAT file system
Extended File Allocation Table

Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) was released in 2006 by Microsoft and was developed and improved for USB flash drives and large memory cards.

The exFAT system allows you to store files up to 16 zettabytes (16 million terabytes), unlike other file systems such as FAT32, which is limited to 4 GB. The exFAT system is compatible with Windows 10 and later, macOS 10.10 and later, and Linux with additional drivers.

exFAT is also faster than FAT32, especially when transferring large files, and exFAT is compatible with many gaming consoles, allowing you to store large video games on external drives.

One of its drawbacks is that it is not compatible with old operating systems: exFAT is not compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7, and some old versions of Linux.

Does not support advanced security features: exFAT does not support advanced security features such as encryption and access control lists, as NTFS does.


ext4

ext2, ext3 & ext4 file systems
Fourth Extended File System

ext4 (Fourth Extended File System) is a file system used in Linux operating systems. ext4 was developed by the Linux community and was first released in December 2008. It is the successor to ext2 and ext3. It was introduced in 2008 as a major improvement over ext3, focusing on increased performance and improved efficiency in handling large files.

ext4 is widely used in a variety of Linux systems, from large servers to personal computers.

Large file support Ext4 can support file sizes up to 16 TB and file system sizes up to 1 Exabyte.

Performance improvements include allocation delays, reduced fragmentation, and improved overall read and write performance.

Backward Compatibility Ext4 can read and write ext3 and ext2 file systems, making it easier to upgrade.

It also allows faster scanning compared to ext3 thanks to technologies such as delayed allocation and improved data fragmentation, and ext4 supports file system-level encryption, providing additional data security.

ext4 is well compatible with all modern Linux distributions and can be used as an alternative to ext3 and ext2 without data loss.


ZFS

ZFS file system

ZFS is a file system and storage manager originally developed by Sun Microsystems. ZFS features high flexibility and integrated storage management, with a focus on data protection and high scalability. ZFS was developed in the early 2000s and was first released in 2005.

ZFS is mainly used in operating systems such as FreeBSD, OpenIndiana, and some Linux distributions via modules such as ZFS on Linux.

ZFS provides capabilities such as snapshots, continuous backups, and efficient management of large volumes. It also has built-in mechanisms to verify data integrity and automatically fix errors.

ZFS can handle huge data volumes without performance degradation, supports snapshots, redundant replication for disaster recovery, data compression, and encryption.

ZFS can be used on a variety of operating systems, including Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris, making it a flexible option for server systems.


HFS

HFS file system

HFS is a file system developed by Apple for Macintosh operating systems, first introduced in 1985 to improve on the capabilities of the previous MFS file system.

HFS is primarily used in older Macintosh operating systems, including older versions of Mac OS, and enables files and folders to be organized in a hierarchical structure, making access and organization easier.

Compared to previous file systems, HFS supports longer, more descriptive file names, and is backwards compatible with older Apple operating systems, making it easier to upgrade between versions.

HFS was compatible with older Mac OS operating systems, but was later replaced by HFS+ (HFS Plus) to improve performance and increase features.


APFS

APFS file system

APFS is a new file system developed by Apple, designed to improve performance, reliability, and security on modern Apple devices. APFS was announced in 2016 and was introduced with macOS High Sierra in 2017.

APFS is used in all modern Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. APFS is designed to be more efficient on flash and SSD storage, and provides strong support for file system-level encryption, with the ability to encrypt data using multiple keys.

It also supports creating instant copies of files and folders without the need to actually copy the data, and free space can be shared between multiple storage units on the same device.

APFS is compatible with all modern Apple devices, but is not compatible with older operating systems and devices that do not support this system.

In short, file systems vary in their design, features, and intended uses, making the choice of the right system largely dependent on the user's requirements and their work environment.

What are the most important types of files?

Determining which file types are most important depends on your needs and computer usage.

However, here are some common and important file types:
Document files:
This type of file is used to store text, such as reports, letters, and books.
Examples of common document file formats: .doc, .docx, .txt, .pdf
Image files:
Used to store digital images.
Examples of common image files: .jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp
Video files:
These files are used to store videos.
Example of common video file formats: .mp4, .avi, .mov, .wmv
Audio files:
These files are used to store audio recordings and music.
Examples of common audio file formats: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .flac
Program files:
They are used to install and run software.
Some common software file formats: .exe, .msi, .app
Compressed files:
These files are used to reduce the size of other files.
Examples of common compressed file formats: .zip, .rar, .7z
System files:
Used to run the operating system.
Note: Modifying system files is only recommended for advanced users.

How to choose the right file system for you?

There is a difference between FAT32, NTFS and exFAT which makes it difficult to choose the right file system for you. Choosing the right file system depends on your needs and usage of storage media.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a file system:
Storage medium size:

  • FAT32: This is a good choice for USB drives and memory cards with a capacity of less than 32 GB, as it is supported by most operating systems.
  • exFAT: This is a good choice for storage drives larger than 32GB, as it supports large file sizes.
  • NTFS: This is a good choice for system drives in Windows operating systems, as it supports security features and file indexing functions.
  • ext4: This is a solid choice for system disks in Linux operating systems, supporting large file sizes and security features.
  • HFS+: A good choice for system drives in macOS, it supports security features and file indexing functionality.

Compatibility with operating systems:

  • FAT32: Compatible with most operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.
  • exFAT: Compatible with Windows 10 and later, macOS 10.10 and later, and Linux with additional drivers.
  • NTFS: Mainly compatible with Windows operating systems, but can be read and written to in some versions of Linux using additional drivers.
  • ext4: Compatible well with Linux operating systems, but can be read in some versions of Windows using additional drivers.
  • HFS+: Compatible with macOS, but can be read on some versions of Linux with additional drivers.

Security Features:

  • NTFS: Supports security features such as file permissions and encryption.
  • ext4: Supports security, file permissions, and access control lists.
  • HFS+: Supports security features such as file permissions and encryption.

File indexing functions:

  • NTFS: Supports file indexing functions to improve file search speed.
  • ext4: Supports file indexing functions for faster file searching.
  • HFS+: Supports file indexing function to improve search speed.

Finally, this was it. Types of file systems The most common and used by the most famous operating systems around the world, and we also learned about the advantages of each type of file system file systems How to choose the right file systems.

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