Linux File Types.txt

Linux File Types
================

//Apart from file types but still a useful command
$file file.txt
file.txt: ASCII text

Common files
-------------
	Regular Files(-):
		Most common types of tile found in UNIX/Linux
		Readable files
		Binary files
		Image files
		Compressed files
		Can be created using touch/vi or by redirection operators
		
		View regular files:
			ls -l | grep ^- 

	Directory files(d):
		Contains file/folders/special files.
		Blue in color with a link => 2
		created using mdkir <directory name>
		
		View directory files:
			ls -l | grep ^d 
		
Special files(This category is having 5 sub types in it.)
----------------------------------------------------------
	Block file(b):
		Hardware files
		Located in /dev
		Create block files:
		fdisk or create a virtual partition

		View block files:
			ls -l | grep ^b

	Character device file(c):
		Provides serial stream of input or output.
		Allows users and programs to communicate to hardware or peripheral devices
		Terminals are character files
		
		View character files:
		cd /dev ; ls -l | grep ^c
		
	Named pipe file or just a pipe file(p):
		Communicate between locak processes
		Create using mkfifo or mknod
		View pipe files:
			ls -l | grep ^p
		
	Symbolic link file(l):
		Linked files to other files, inode number for a file and its parent are the same. 
		There are 2 types of link files, soft and hard links.
		Create using ln command
		View link files:
			ls -l | grep ^l
	
	Local Domain Socket file(s):
		Used to pass information between applications for communication
		create using socket() system call 
		int sockfd = socket(AF_INIT, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
		you can use read() write() sendmsg() recvmsg() system calls on them
		View socket files:
			ls -l | grep ^l
	
	Door file(D):
		Used in Sun Solaris as a special file for IPC between client and server
		View door file:
			ls -l | grep ^D
			
()rwxrwxrwx 2 owner group all users Date Time <name>

-rw-rw-r-- 1 jorb students 0 Jan 17 time  
drwxrwxrwx 2 owner group all users Date Time <Directory Name>