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# File

A file is a pool of data in the `filesystem`. On userlevel, it's referenced using a name, a hardlink to the file.

If a file is not referenced anymore (number of hardlinks to it drops to 1) then the space allocated for that file is re-used, unless it's still used by some process.

The file-data splits into actual payload (file contents) and some metadata like filesize, filemode or timestamps. The metadata is stored in the `inode`.

Strictly spoken, a hardlink (also called \"filename\") points to the `inode` which organizes a file, not to the file itself.

## See also

- filetimes
- hardlink

November 7, 2024
November 7, 2024

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