NTFS

NTFS, or New Technology File System, is a proprietary file system developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. Introduced with Windows NT 3.1 in 1993, it was designed as a modern replacement for the FAT family, offering improved reliability, security, and scalability. Since then, NTFS has been the default file system for most Windows client and server editions, including Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server variants.

NTFS stores file and directory metadata in a Master File Table (MFT), a central database that records attributes, data locations, timestamps, permissions, and other information. It uses metadata journaling to help recover from crashes, and supports features such as hard links, symbolic links, reparse points, file compression, sparse files, and disk quotas. Security is implemented through Access Control Lists (ACLs) and built-in encryption via Encrypting File System (EFS), enabling granular permissions and data protection. The file system is designed to handle large volumes and files, efficient space allocation, and reliability on both desktop and server workloads.

Cross-platform access varies. Windows provides full read and write support, while Linux and macOS offer varying levels of support through third-party drivers or kernel modules (with ntfs-3g or ntfs3 in recent releases). NTFS remains the standard for Windows system partitions and much of Windows data storage, while alternatives such as FAT32 or exFAT may be used for cross-platform compatibility or removable media.