Inodes – indexing files and directories
When storing data on disk, Linux follows one strict rule: all the outside-of-the-envelope information must be kept apart from the contents inside the envelope. In other words, the data describing a file is isolated from the actual data in the file. The structure that holds this metadata is called the index node, shortened as inode. The inode structure contains metadata for files and directories in Linux. The name of a file or directory is merely a pointer to an inode, and each file or directory has exactly one inode.
Consider the Marauder’s Map as an analogy (Harry Potter, anyone?). The map shows the location of every person in the school. Each person is represented by a dot on the map, and when you click on the dot, it reveals information about the person, such as their name, location, and status. Think of the Marauder’s Map as the filesystem, and the dots representing people as the inodes showing metadata.
But what...
