19 File Directories and Directory Files

As we have seen, much important information about individual files is contained in the “inode” tables. If the file is currently accessible, or being accessed, the relevant information is held in the core “inode” table. If a file is on disk (more generally, on some file system volume) and is not currently accessible, then the relevant “inode” table is the one recorded on the disk (file system volume).

Notably absent from the “inode” table is any information regarding the “name” of the file. This is stored in the directory files.