1.3.1.4 Modular file systems

A file system is a collection of programs and libraries that provide the illusion of files and directories from physical mass storage devices or other devices. Most operating systems come preinstalled with one or more file systems. For example, Linux usually supports extension 2 (ext2) out of the box. Windows 98 supports FAT32 out of the box, while Windows XP supports FAT32 and NTFS out of the box.

Most modern operating systems, such as Windows and Linux, are modular enough to support additional file systems without having to patch the operating system. This modularity makes it possible for vendors to add support for additional file systems after an operating system is released.