A file system is a major component of the operating system (OS). Applications command the OS to input and output data, and the file system reads and writes the sectors on the storage drive.

For example, you might have a data logger and want to expose its data as a file system. It isn’t that hard to do. There’s a data structure to fill in, and you don’t have to fill all of it in.

The computer's master control program. When a computer is turned on, a small "boot program" loads the operating system. Although additional system modules may be loaded as needed, the main part ...