Summary

The file system interface in UNIX systems (and indeed, in any system) is seemingly quite rudimentary, but there is a lot to understand if you wish to master it. Nothing is better, of course than simply using it (a lot). So please do so! Of course, read more; as always, Stevens“Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment” by W. Richard Stevens and Stephen A. Rago. Addison-Wesley, 2005. We have probably referenced this book a few hundred thousand times. It is that useful to you, if you care to become an awesome systems programmer. is the place to begin.

ASIDE: KEY FILE SYSTEM TERMS

• A file is an array of bytes which can be created, read, ...