File management in unix

All data in UNIX is organized into files. All files are orgaized into directories. These directories are organized into a tree-like structure called the filesystem.

When you work with UNIX, one way or another you spend most of your time working with files. This tutorial would teach you how to create and remove files, copy and rename them, create links to them etc.

In UNIX there are three basic types of files −

• Ordinary Files − An ordinary file is a file on the system that contains data, text, or program instructions. In this tutorial, you look at working with ordinary files.
• Directories − Directories store both special and ordinary files. For users familiar with Windows or Mac OS, UNIX directories are equivalent to folders.
• Special Files − Some special files provide access to hardware such as hard drives, CD-ROM drives, modems, and Ethernet adapters. Other special files are similar to aliases or shortcuts and enable you to access a single file using different names.