¿Cómo se organizan los archivos?

File system organization is a fundamental concept in technology that many people, especially those accustomed to mobile devices, often find confusing. While on smartphones we tend to use specific applications without noticing such organization, computers handle files organized in clear and visible folder structures. Understanding this is crucial for software development and technology literacy.

What is a file system?

A file system is an operating system's way of organizing, storing and accessing files. This structure is generally represented as a tree with a parent folder called the root, which varies by operating system:

• Windows: The root is usually the hard drive called C:; folders are organized from this drive with names such as C:UsersUserName.
• Unix, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS: The root is represented by /. From there, we find folders such as /home/username.

It is important to highlight three main types of folders:

• User folder: contains personal folders, accessible only to your specific user.
• Operating system folder: stores global configuration,drivers and essential elements to operate.
• Applications folder: organizes files related to installed applications.

What are the most common file extensions?

Extensions tell us what type of file we are working with and which application should open it. Some common examples include:

• Word documents: .doc or .docx
• Excel files: .xls or .xlsx
• Web pages: .html or .htm
• Images: .jpg (photographs) or .png (high fidelity images or illustrations).

These extensions, although sometimes hidden in modern systems for ease of use, are still essential to understanding how files work internally.

What does a file path mean and how is it used on the Internet?

A path is the exact address where a file can be found within the system. For example, a file on Unix might have this path: /home/freddy/documents/photo.jpg, while on Windows it would be something like C:\Usuarios\Freddy\Documents\photo.jpg.

Interestingly, web pages follow this same scheme. For example, the path https://platzi.com/imagenes/fundamentos/protocolos.png indicates that there is a server called Platzi(platzi.com), a folder called images, another called fundamentals, and finally the file protocols.png.

URLs also include protocols that indicate how data is transferred: - HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol - HTTPS: Secure version of HTTP, which uses encryption - WSS Web Sockets: Used for real-time applications, such as chats.

Why is it important to clearly see extensions and paths?

Modern operating systems such as Windows or macOS tend to hide extensions and routes to simplify the experience, but in doing so limit learning about the inner workings. Enabling the display of these extensions and paths is key for those looking to delve deeper into software development and thoroughly understand how applications and files interact.

In addition, while cloud storage makes it easy to access files from any device, relying solely on the cloud can limit knowledge of local storage autonomy.

I invite you to experiment and activate these visualizations in your own operating system. Do you already practice the conscious use of file paths and file extensions in your daily life? Share your experiences and doubts with our community to deepen this essential knowledge.