Files & Storage terms
42 Files & Storage terms explained in plain English.
- Advanced Data Protection (iCloud)Advanced Data Protection is an optional iCloud security setting that extends end-to-end encryption to most iCloud data, including device backups, photos, notes, and iCloud Drive files.
- Archive FileAn archive file is a single file that contains one or more other files bundled together, often compressed to save space.
- Audio File Types (MP3, WAV, FLAC)Audio files come in different formats that balance quality and file size.
- AV1AV1 is a next-generation video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media (Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Mozilla, and others).
- Cloud Storage vs Local StorageLocal storage means keeping files on the device right in front of you, like your computer's hard drive or a USB stick.
- CMR vs SMR hard drivesCMR (conventional magnetic recording) and SMR (shingled magnetic recording) are two methods hard drives use to write data onto spinning platters.
- Compression (making files smaller)Compression is the process of making a file smaller so it takes up less storage space and is faster to send or download.
- Corrupt FileA corrupt file is one that has been damaged so that it no longer works properly.
- Data deduplicationData deduplication is a technique that finds repeated chunks of data and stores them only once, replacing duplicates with small pointers to the single copy.
- Data recoveryData recovery is the process of getting back files that have been deleted, corrupted, or trapped on a failed drive, phone, or memory card.
- Digital legacyA digital legacy is everything you leave behind online: email, social media accounts, photos in the cloud, documents, subscriptions, cryptocurrency, and passwords.
- Digital SignatureA digital signature is an electronic way to prove that a document or message is genuine and has not been tampered with.
- Document vs FileA file is any piece of data saved on a computer with a name and a format, like a photo, a song, or a program.
- Encryption (beginner version)Encryption is a way of scrambling data so that only someone with the right key can read it.
- Encryption at rest vs in transitEncryption at rest scrambles data while it's stored, on a laptop drive, phone, server, or cloud storage, so a stolen device or disk is unreadable without the key.
- EPUBEPUB is the standard file format for e-books, used by Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and public library e-book systems.
- File extensionA file extension is the group of letters after the last dot in a file name, such as .docx for Word documents, .jpg for photos, .pdf for PDFs, and .exe for Windows programs.
- File PathA file path is the address that tells your computer exactly where a file is located.
- File Size (KB, MB, GB explained)File size tells you how much storage space a file takes up.
- H.264 / H.265H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) are video codecs: algorithms that compress video for storage and streaming.
- iCalendar (ICS)ICS (iCalendar) is the file format and protocol standard that calendar apps use to share events.
- Image File Types (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP)There are several common image file types, each designed for different purposes.
- Lossless vs lossy compressionCompression makes files smaller, and it comes in two kinds.
- MetadataMetadata is information about information.
- MIDIMIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for transmitting musical performance data.
- OneDrive / Google Drive / iCloudOneDrive, Google Drive, and iCloud are the three most popular cloud storage services.
- Optical character recognition (OCR)Optical character recognition (OCR) is technology that detects text in images, such as scanned documents, photos, screenshots, and PDFs, and converts it into digital text that can be searched, copied, and edited.
- OverwriteOverwriting means replacing the contents of an existing file with new data.
- PDFPDF stands for Portable Document Format.
- Permissions (file permissions)File permissions are rules that control who can do what with a file or folder.
- RAID (storage)RAID (redundant array of independent disks) is a way of combining multiple drives into one storage system for better reliability, speed, or both.
- Read-OnlyRead-only means you can open and view a file but you cannot change, edit, or delete its contents.
- Recycle Bin / TrashThe Recycle Bin (on Windows) or Trash (on macOS) is a special folder where deleted files go temporarily before they are permanently removed.
- Shared Drive / Network DriveA shared drive or network drive is a storage location that multiple people can access over a network.
- SMART drive monitoringSMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a feature built into hard drives and SSDs that tracks indicators of drive health, such as reallocated sectors, read errors, temperature, power-on hours, and, for SSDs, remaining wear.
- SpreadsheetA spreadsheet is a digital tool that organizes information into rows and columns, creating a grid of cells.
- Storage tiersStorage tiers are levels of storage with different speeds and prices, matched to how often data is used. 'Hot' storage holds frequently accessed data on fast drives and costs more. 'Cool' or 'infrequent access' tiers cost less but charge more to retrieve data. 'Archive' tiers, such as Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive or Azure Archive, are extremely cheap for storage but can take hours to retrieve from.
- Sync (file syncing)Syncing means keeping the same files updated and identical across multiple devices or locations.
- Tape backupTape backup stores copies of data on magnetic tape cartridges, most commonly the LTO (Linear Tape-Open) format.
- Text File vs Rich Text FileA plain text file contains only the basic characters you type (letters, numbers, and symbols) with no formatting like bold, italics, or colours.
- vCardvCard (Virtual Card) is the open standard for digital business cards.
- Video File Types (MP4, MOV, AVI)Video files come in different formats, each with its own strengths.