Datei

Datei is a German term for a digital file. In computing, eine Datei is a logical container that stores data on a storage medium. It is identified by a name and often by a file extension, which signals the intended format or type. Operating systems organize files within directories and manage them through a file system. Common file systems include FAT, NTFS, ext4 and APFS.

Dateien can contain text, images, audio, software, or any other data. Text-based files include .txt or .md, while binary files include formats such as .jpg, .exe, or .pdf. The extension provides a hint about how the data should be interpreted, but it is not a guaranteed indicator of the actual content, since extensions can be changed manually.

File metadata describes additional information about a file, such as its size, creation and modification dates, owner, and access permissions. This metadata is used by the operating system to control access, manage storage, and support search and organization tasks. Files are addressed by paths that reflect their position in a directory tree, for example /home/user/document.txt or C:\Docs\report.pdf.

Typical operations on files include create, open, read, write, rename, copy, move and delete. File naming conventions vary by OS: some systems are case-sensitive, others are not; certain characters are disallowed, and there are practical limits on name length and directory depth.

Security and integrity considerations include access control, encryption, regular backups, and checksums or digital signatures. In software development, many projects use version control to track changes to source files. Understanding the concept of a Datei helps in managing data across different platforms and applications.