Fayl

Fayl is a term used in several Turkic languages to denote a computer file—a discrete collection of data stored on a computer or other digital device. A fayl is identified by a name, may carry an extension that suggests its type, and contains data that software can read or execute.

In computing, fayls are managed by a file system and placed within directories, forming a hierarchical structure. The location of a fayl is described by a path, which may be absolute or relative, and is used by operating systems and applications to access the data.

The content of a fayl can be text, image, audio, video, or binary data. Extensions such as .txt, .pdf, .jpg, or .exe often indicate the intended format, though not all systems rely on extensions. Fayls also carry metadata, including size, creation and modification dates, and access permissions.

Common operations on fayls include creating, opening, editing, copying, moving, renaming, and deleting. Files may be stored locally or on networks and clouds. Security and integrity concerns include unauthorized access, corruption, and malware; these risks are mitigated through encryption, backups, and access controls.

Fayl storage supports various formats: plain text, binary, and archives or containers (for example, zip or tar files). Across platforms, file associations and dialog interfaces help users choose the program to open a given fayl.

Understanding fayls is foundational to using modern computers, as almost all documents, media, and software consist of one or more fayls stored on a file system.