Solaris™ Internals: Core Kernel Components

12.1. Why Have a File System?

The file system is an essential component of all Unix environments; it provides the mechanism for the storage and retrieval of files and a hierarchical directory structure for naming of multiple files. A single Unix file system can hold thousands of files, and the task of organizing the storage structures required to store files and directories is insulated from the application.

A basic Unix file system enables the operating system to do the following:

• Create and delete files

• Open files for reading and writing

• Seek within a file

• Close files

• Create directories to hold groups of files

• List the contents of a directory

• Remove files from a directory

These functions have grown into what we have become accustomed to today as ...