What is a folder?
Organizing files into directories
⏱ Est. ~5 min
01 · Read
A folder (also called a directory) is a container that holds files and other folders. Folders group files by category, just like drawers in a filing cabinet organize papers.
💡 Picture thisA folder is like a drawer in a filing cabinet: you can put documents (files) in it, and you can also put smaller folders in it — folders inside folders inside folders. This is called nesting.
Key points
- Folders organize files, just like physical folders organize paper documents
- Folders can hold files AND other folders (nested structure)
- Every computer has a similar basic structure: each user has a home directory with Desktop, Documents, and Downloads
- Engineers usually keep their code in a folder called projects
02 · Interactive tree
Take a look at this typical computer directory structure. Click a folder to expand it and see what's inside. Make sure to expand Sara's Desktop — you'll need it later!
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03 · Quiz
What's the main reason for organizing files into folders?
- Group similar files together so they're easier to find
- Make files take up less storage space
- Make the computer run faster
- Decide what order files open in
04 · Quiz
Why do folders use a tree structure (folders inside folders)?
- So you can categorize layer by layer and find any file in an organized way
- Because computers only support tree structures
- Because trees use less memory
- Because it looks nicer
05 · Quiz
Can a folder contain other folders?
- Yes, folders can hold both files and other folders
- No, folders can only hold files
- Only the top-level folder can hold other folders
- Yes, but only one level deep
Other lessons in this chapter
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