What is a file?
Everything on a computer is a file
⏱ Est. ~4 min
01 · Read
A file is a container the computer uses to store information. Every single thing you touch on a computer — photos, documents, music, applications — they're all files.
💡 Picture thisThink of a file like a document in a filing cabinet: it has a name, it holds stuff inside (text, images, music), and it lives in a specific spot.
Key points
- Everything on your computer is a file: photos, documents, music, applications
- Files have names: photo.jpg, resume.pdf, notes.txt
- Files have a type (the extension): the part after the period tells the computer what kind of file it is
- Common extensions: .txt (text), .pdf (document), .jpg (image), .html (web page), .js (JavaScript code)
02 · Interactive tree
Click each file to see its name, type, and what's inside.
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03 · Quiz
What kind of file is "birthday.jpg"?
- An image
- A text document
- A web page
- A music file
04 · Fill in the blank
What is the extension of "report.pdf"?
05 · Quiz
If you see a file ending in .html, what's inside?
- An image
- A web page
- Music
- A spreadsheet
Other lessons in this chapter
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