What is a Computer File?

A computer system consists of devices, memory, processors, etc. Along with this, there is one of the important or core fundamental aspects which is computer files. These computer files are used to store the data in digital format. Data that is to be stored can be images, videos, audio, or text files. So in this article, we will understand the concept of computer files along with their features and the types of computer files.

What is a Computer File?

A computer file is defined as a medium used for saving and managing data in the computer system. The data stored in the computer system is completely in digital format, although there can be various types of files that help us to store the data. Now, data can be in the form of text, image, video, multimedia files of some other documents, or some other types. Computer file allows us to store all these types of data without any problem or without failure. There is a unique identifier associated with each file which helps users easily locate the stored file Helps the user to access the stored data from the computer system.

Features of Computer File:

Here, we have mentioned the top 3 features of the computer files:

1. Data Storage

One of the crucial features of computer files is data storage. Computer files allow us primarily are used for storing and organizing the data in the computer system. This actually holds the information in various formats, which will be useful for users to access at any time or at any instance So primarily, a computer file is a concept, or it is an element of a computer system that allows users to save their crucial and sensitive information in any format in this digital way in the computer system

2. File Naming

Each file saved in a computer system has a special identifier provided by a computer file. Each file in the pool of files has a distinct identifier that is used to identify it. Each of these pieces of metadata is entirely distinct and linked to a specific file. No metadata is being replicated with the other file. So this allows, or file name makes users to easily identify their files, and through which the accessibility of data is also been enhanced.

3. Custom File Attributes

An individual file consists of various types of file attributes which are associated with it. Some of the important and additional information can be represented using this file attribute. Attributes that are mostly used by the user are read-only hidden system file archives and are temporary. Using these file attributes, the user can also give the permissions or change the permissions of the individual file Like we can customize the permission to the user by user.

Types of Computer Files

Below are some of the commonly used computer files:

1. Text Files

The text file is the most basic type of computer file, which holds the data like character data or alphabetical data, or numerical data. These text files are created from text editors, like WordPad, Microsoft Word, Notepad, etc.

Example: data.txt

2. Image Files

Image files allow the user to store the visual type of data, such as photographs and graphics, in the form of image data which is captured from cameras, or some other sources, or some graphical sources are stored in this type of file, that is image files.

Example: data.png

3. Video Files

Video files are the file types in which the data is stored in the moving visual content. Now actually, these files are high-sized files in which there is high dimensional data stored. Mostly used data formats in video files are MP4,mkv.

Example: data.mp4

How are Files Created?

A computer file can be created through various kinds of applications and software that are present on our computer device. There are various sources of creating files through which users can create the file. For example, users can write some text into the word processor draw some basic designs in graphic design software, record some audio or video formatted files, then take pictures from their camera. All these sources can create different kinds of files.

Every application that creates any file, saves the file along with its content in the device that is used for file creation.

Where are Files Stored?

A user gets confused when thinking about the storage process of files, or actually where the content of the file is being stored, or how the storage manages the file. So the answer is quite simple, the files are stored on the computer device storage. A computer device storage can be of various types, like it can have a predefined or internal hard drive, which, is also known as HDD(Hard Disk Drive). Some other storage mediums that are used are SSD(Solid State Driver) or external storage mediums such as USB drives.

So in the latest modern computers, actually, the files are organized in a hierarchical file system where there is a well-organized directory structure whereas in the main folder, there are some subfolders. And in these subfolders, users can organize and locate their files.

File Management

File management in a computer system is the concept where Users can actually organize, search, store, and manipulate their files in the computer devices. File management also includes the basic functionalities like creating, moving, deleting, copying, etc. operations of files to ensure efficient storage and access. Along with this, there is one more functionality of managing permissions of a file or properly having access control on each and individual file which has been given by the administrator of the file.

What is File Extensions?

File extensions are nothing but the suffixes which are added at the end of the file name which are actually separated by a symbol that represents the file type and its associated format. For example, .mp3 is the file type that actually represents the audio file. Now this file contains all the audio-formatted data.

What is File Compression?

In the context of a computer, file compression refers to the method or process of actually shrinking or reducing the size of one or more files to free up storage space or to make it simpler to transfer to a new device or over a network. Compression tools can be used to lower the file’s actual size. WinRAR and WinZip are two such file compression programs.

All these tools actually string the size of our file and make it into a compressed file for easy transfer in the network or to the new device.

How to Move Files or Folders in Computer?

For moving files or folders on the computer, there are quite simple and short steps that we can perform on our computer system. The two ways are:

• First, click on the file and then drag it to the new location. The new location can be within the same drive or can be another drive.
• Second, right-click on the file that is to be moved, from the navigation bar select the cut or copy option, and go to the new location. After navigating to that destination path, we just need to right-click and choose the paste option. This will actually move the file or folder on the destination path.

FAQs: Computer Files

1. Is there any difference between File and Folder?

Yes, there is a difference between a File and a Folder, File is an individual unit for storing the data whereas, a folder is the complete collection of multiple files with various data formats.

2. Why files extension are used in a computer system?

The need for file extension is to uniquely identify the file’s format and instruct the executing operating system, on which executable program should be used to open that file.

3. Can we store the file without specifying the extension?

Yes, we can store the file without having the extension. In these types of files, the extension is been hidden.

4. Can we manually change the extension of the file?

Although, file extensions can be changed manually, in some cases doing this can cause a problem to file where the contents become unreadable to the user.