subfolder

Subfolder, short for subdirectory, is a folder located within another directory in a file system. It is part of a hierarchical organization used to arrange files by project, type, owner, or purpose. Subfolders can be created within any directory and may contain files or other subfolders, forming a tree structure that starts at a root directory. Paths to subfolders are expressed with a separator character: a forward slash on Unix-like systems and a backslash on Windows.

Usage and functions: Subfolders help manage large collections of files by grouping related items, simplify permissions and access control, and support targeted backup, synchronization, and deployment. They can mirror organizational boundaries, support modular applications, and be used as mounting points for additional storage or virtual directories. Permissions, ownership, and inheritance rules may apply differently depending on the operating system.

Web and internet contexts: In web hosting, a subfolder under the site root corresponds to a URL path, for example example.com/blog/ or example.com/docs/. Subfolders are commonly used to organize site content and assets without creating separate domains, though they have different implications for SEO, cookies, and security policies compared with subdomains.

Related concepts: In version control and development, subfolders can house nested projects or serve as locations for submodules or nested repositories. Some systems also support symbolic links and mounting, where a subfolder points to a location elsewhere. Overall, subfolders are a core element of file organization across operating systems and platforms.