File Systems
Overview
A file system is the method an OS uses to organize and store files on a storage device, determining where files are saved and who can access them.
Key concepts
- NTFS (Windows)
- FAT32 / exFAT (cross-compatible)
- ext4 (Linux)
- APFS (macOS)
How it works
Overview
A file system is the method an OS uses to organize and store files on a storage device — it determines where files are saved, who owns them, and who is allowed to access them.
Common File Systems
| File system | Used by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NTFS | Modern Windows | Supports large files, permissions, journaling, encryption, compression. |
| FAT32 | Older/very compatible devices | Works with game consoles, cameras, USB drives; can't store individual files over 4GB. |
| exFAT | USB/external drives | Supports large files, works well across Windows and macOS. |
| ext4 | Most Linux systems | Supports Linux permissions, journaling, large storage volumes. |
| APFS | Modern Macs | Apple File System — supports encryption, snapshots, and space sharing between volumes. |