File and folder are terms frequently encountered in computer terminology, particularly when using a Windows-based system. These terms can sometimes be confusing, especially for beginners. Essentially, all data on a hard drive is contained in either files or folders. The main difference between a file and a folder is that files store data—such as text, music, or film—while folders store files and other folders. Folders are generally larger in size, as they hold multiple files and other folders.
Files
A file is a collection of data in a single unit, which can include anything from a Word document to a music, video, or photo file. Text files typically contain written text and are called Word documents. Other examples of text files include PDF, RTF, and web pages. Picture files come in various formats, such as JPEG, GIF, BMP, and layered image files (Photoshop documents). Audio files also exist in various formats, including MP3, WAV, WMV, and AIF. Video files have numerous formats as well, such as MPEG, WMV, and MOV.
Files can be created, saved, opened, moved, and deleted. It is possible to move a file from one folder to another or download files from other networks and the internet. The type of a file is usually identified by its icon or extension. To open a file, one must double-click it.
Folders
Folders exist in the virtual world, much like in the real world. These folders store files and can even contain other folders within them. Folders help tremendously in organizing files. For example, a person can store all their photos in a folder named “Photos” and all their videos in another folder named “Videos.” They can then place all these folders in a folder called “My Documents.”
Key Takeaways
- Folders, also known as directories, are used to organize files on a computer.
- While folders do not take up space on a hard drive, files can range in size from a few bytes (such as Word documents) to gigabytes (like music and video content).
- Folders allow users to organize their files by storing similar files in one place and naming the folder for easy retrieval when needed.
It is essential to understand the proper terminology when discussing files and folders. For instance, if someone says they downloaded photos from the internet but cannot find the files they are in, they are using the wrong term. Photos are files themselves, so they cannot be “in” other files. Instead, the person should refer to the folder where they downloaded the image files.
