pliki

Pliki (Polish for files) are the basic units of information storage in computing. A file is a named sequence of bytes stored on a storage device, typically representing a document, program, image, or other data. Each file has metadata such as name, size, timestamps, and access permissions. Files are located and addressed by a path in a hierarchical file system. File extensions, such as .txt or .jpg, are conventional indicators of format but are not required for the system to identify a file’s type.

File systems manage how data is stored and retrieved. They allocate space in fixed-size blocks or clusters and maintain metadata entries that point to the data blocks and store attributes such as ownership and permissions. Common distinctions exist among major systems: Unix-like file systems (ext4, Btrfs, XFS) use inodes; Windows NTFS uses a master file table and alternate data streams; macOS APFS emphasizes cloning and snapshots.

Operations include creating, opening, reading, writing, rewriting, renaming, deleting, and listing files. Programs may create links to files, including hard links and symbolic links. Permissions govern who can read, write, or execute a file; Unix-like permissions use owner, group, and others with read, write, and execute bits, while Windows uses Access Control Lists.

Files come in various formats. Text files store plain or encoded text (for example UTF-8); binary files contain non-text data or executable code. Common categories include documents, images, audio, video, and programs. File management practices such as consistent naming, versioning, backups, archiving, compression, and encryption help organize and protect data.