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File Systems

File systems manage stored data (e.g. on disk, SSD)

File = named sequence of bytes, stored on device

  • file system maps name to location on device
  • file system maintains meta-data (e.g. access rights)
Directory = file containing references to other files

System calls provide low-level API to manipulate files  (byte streams)

Libraries provide higher-level API to manipulate files  (text streams)

[Diagram:Pics/filesys/streams.png]

File systems also provide a mechanism for dealing with damage on the storage device ("bad blocks")