Files and Directories Files consist of information stored magnetically on a computer disk. Files may consist of programs, lists of data, graphics, correspondence, or any other information. You can create, store, modify, read, and use files. Directories are files that contain indexes needed to locate other files. A file may be thought of as a record stored in a filing cabinet, and a directory can be thought of as a filing cabinet that contains the records.
Files have names.
These names consists of a string of alphanumeric characters. A filename must be unique for the directory. Directories are organized on Mallard in a hierarchical file structure. This structure is an inverted tree with the root of the tree at the top. The root directory contains files and other directories known as subdirectories.