Filesystems

A filesystem is the layer that turns raw block storage into named files and directories with metadata. Nearly every practical command-line reference touches it: listing files, searching text, resolving paths, and managing permissions all assume a filesystem model underneath.

Core abstractions

Concept	What it is
Inode	Metadata record for a file (size, owner, timestamps, block pointers)
Directory	A mapping from names to inodes
Path	A route through directories to a file (/etc/hosts)
Mount point	Where a filesystem is attached into the unified tree
Permission bits	Who may read, write, or execute an entry

Why it connects to other pages

• Tools like grep walk directory trees and read file contents.
• Package managers such as uv create project-local directories and virtual environments on the filesystem.

Paths to remember

Path	Meaning
/	Root of the unified tree
~	The current user's home directory
. / ..	Current / parent directory