Files and folders: name, type and path

A file is a collection of data stored in the computer’s memory under a name. Text, a picture, music, a video and even a program can be a file. A file has a name, a type and a size. Size is measured in bytes, and for larger files we use kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB).

A file name usually has two parts: the main name and the extension after the dot. The extension shows the type of the file and decides which program opens it. For example, .txt is plain text, .docx is a Word document, .jpg and .png are pictures, .mp3 is music and .mp4 is video.

A folder (also called a directory) is used to keep files in groups. A folder can contain other folders, so the structure of files looks like a tree: a disk at the top, folders inside it, and files inside the folders. One folder cannot contain two files with the same name.

The exact place of a file on the computer is called its path. In Windows a path starts with the name of the disk, and the folder names are separated by backslashes: C:\Users\Ali\Pictures\cat.png. This path shows that the file cat.png is in the folder Pictures, which is inside the folder Ali.

Key takeaways

• A file is a collection of data stored under a name.
• The extension shows the file type, for example .txt, .png or .mp3.
• Folders group files and other folders, which creates a tree-like structure.
• A file path starts at the disk and leads to the file through a chain of folders.
• One folder cannot contain two files with the same name.