Computing » Filesystem interoperability
A list of antique and contemporary single-medium file systems and platforms through which their files can be accessed.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please do contact me if you have any update suggestions, though not before checking my to-do list. Last updated 28 October 2024.
Synonyms & terms
For concision, direct descendants of the original UNIX are grouped as follows:
- Ancient UNIX: UNIX Time-Sharing Systems v1 through v7
- AT&T UNIX: UNIX Systems III, IV and V
- UnixWare: UnixWare, and Open UNIX 8
Filesystems
ADFS / Advanced Disc Filing System
Acorn’s successor to DFS. Also known as Filecore on Arthur and RISC OS.[1]
AdvFS / Advanced File System
Highly reliable filesystem.[4]
Needs further research.
AFFS / Amiga Fast File System
see: FFS
AFMS / Atari File Management System
see: FMS
AFS / Acer Fast Filesystem
Bitmapped variant of the System V Release 4 filesystem.[2] See also: EAFS.
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: native support between at least 5.0[6] and 6.0[7]. (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
AFS / Amiga File System
see: OFS
AFS / Ami-FileSafe
Seemingly a third-party Amiga filesystem.[8]
AFS / AthFS / AtheOS File System
Built on top of Be File System.[10]
AMSDOS filesystem
Seemingly an Amstrad variant of the CP/M filesystem.[11]
APF Imagination Machine disk filesystem
Not much is known aside from name[13]; needs research.
APFS / Apple File System
Apple’s proprietary “next-generation” filesystem to supersede HFS+.[14]
- FreeBSD: limited support via
fsapfsmount()in libfsapfs.[15] - iOS: primary filesystem since iOS 10.3.[14]
- Linux: kernel module support since 4.9 via linux-apfs[16]; FUSE support via apfs-fuse[17].
- macOS: native support since 10.12 Sierra; primary filesystem since 10.13 High Sierra.[14]
- tvOS: primary filesystem since 10.2.[18]
- watchOS: primary filesystem since 4.0.[18]
Bcachefs
Copy-on-write filesystem for Linux.[19]
- Linux: mainline since 6.7.[20]
BetrFS
Experimental Bε-tree filesystem released in 2015.[21]
- Linux: kernel module support only on 3.11.10.[21]
BFS / BeFS / Be File System
BFS / Boot File System
Simple filesystem from which some old UNIX OSes booted.[27][28]
BFS / Byte File System
Unix application filesystem over top z/VM.[30]
- z/VM: native support.[30]
Not much else is known; needs research.
BTOS filesystem
see: CTOS filesystem
Btrfs / B-tree file system
Increasingly popular copy-on-write filesystem for Linux.[31]
CBMFS / Commodore Business Machine filesytem
Filesystem used by the embedded OS on certain Commodore floppy disk drives.[34] Sometimes called FS1541.[9]
CDFS / Compact Disc File System
Early CD filesystem.[36]
Not much else is known; needs research.
CDFS / Compact Disc Filing System
see: ISO 9660
CDVDFS / CD/DVD filesystem
Amiga-specific optical media filesystem.[37]
- AROS: native support.[37]
CHFS
Filesystem for flash devices.[3]
- NetBSD: native support since 6.0.[3]
Not much else is known; needs research.
CMDFS / Creative Micro Designs filesystem
Extension to CBMFS for 3½″ floppy disks.[38]
Not much else is known; needs research.
CMS filesystem
Native filesystem of IBM’s CMS minidisks.[39]
Commodore 1581 filesystem
Variant of CBMFS for 3½″ disks.[35]
- CBM DOS: filesystem since 10.0[40].
Compucolor filesystem
Tape-like file management for the Compucolor II.[41]
- Compucolor II OS: primary filesystem.
CP/M filesystem
Disk format for the original CP/M.[42]
CrosStor filesystem
see: HTFS
CSI-DOS filesystem
Soviet microcomputer filesystem.[45]
- CSI-DOS: primary filesystem.[45]
CTOS filesystem (Convergent Technologies)
Convergent Technologies disk layout.[46]
- BTOS / CTOS: primary filesystem.[46]
CTOS filesystem (Datapoint)
Cassette layout for the Datapoint 2200.[47]
- CTOS (Datapoint): primary filesystem.
DDFS / Data Domain File System
Filesystem related to the Dell EMC Data Domain OS.[48]
Not much else is known; needs research.
DECtape filesystem
Block-based tape format for PDP-6 and later; originally called Microtape.[49]
Not much else is known; needs research.
DOS 3.𝑥 filesystem
Floppy disk format for DOS on the Apple II, succeeded by the ProDOS file system on the Apple III.[50]
DOS II filesystem
Disk layout for Atari 8-bit computers.[52]
- DOS II: primary filesystem.[52]
DTFS / Desktop File System
Default filesystem for SCO OpenServer Desktop.[6]
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: primary filesystem on 5.0 Desktop and possibly other versions.[6] (needs more precise version info)
- UnixWare: driver support.[2]
Information is spotty; needs research.
EAFS / Extended Acer Fast Filesystem
Presumably a direct successor to AFS.
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: primary filesystem between 2.0 and 3.0; native support at least up to 6.0.[7] (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
ECMA-119
see: ISO 9660
EFS / Enhanced Filing System
- Linux: support at some point in time.[2] (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
EFS / Extent File System
Block-device filesystem for early IRIX; superseded by XFS.[53]
- IRIX: primary filesystem before 5.3; native support between 6.0 and 6.4; read-only native support since 6.5.[53]
- Linux: kernel module support between 1.𝑥 and 2.2; mainline support since 2.3.[53]
- NetBSD: native support since 5.0.[3]
- Windows 9𝑥: driver support on 95 and possibly later via winefssh.exe.[2]
EOS filesystem
Coleco ADAM cassette filesystem.[54]
- EOS: primary filesystem.
Episode filesystem
POSIX-compliant filesystem that formed the basis for zFS.[55]
EROFS / Enhanced Read-Only File System
Lightweight, modern filesystem.[56]
- Linux: mainline support since 5.4.[56]
ETRFS
Commercial FAT32 variant sometimes known as FAT64.[38]
Not much else is known; needs research.
exFAT / Extensible File Allocation Table
Alter to FAT32 for flash memory.[57]
- DR-DOS / Novell DOS / OpenDOS: driver support via USBexFAT.[58]
- FreeBSD: FUSE support.[59]
- FreeDOS: driver support via USBexFAT.[58]
- Haiku: native support since R1/Alpha3.[32]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- Linux: FUSE support since 3.8.11[58]; mainline support since 5.4[61].
- macOS: native support since 10.6.5.[57]
- MS-DOS: driver support via USBexFAT.[58]
- MorphOS: third-party support.[9]
- Nintendo Switch system software: native support.[62]
- SunOS / Solaris: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows Embedded Compact: native support since 6.0.[57]
- Windows CE: native support since at least 6.0.[63] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT family: first-party driver support between XP / Server 2003 and Vista via exFAT Drivers Update; native support since Vista SP2 / 2008.[58]
ext / Extended filesystem
First Linux-exclusive filesystem, intended to replace the MINIX filesystem. Superseded by ext2.[64]
ext2 / Second extended filesystem
Successor to ext. Superseded by ext3.[64]
- FreeBSD: native support since 2.2.[68]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- KolibriOS: native support.[69]
- Linux: mainline support since 0.99.[70]
- macOS: driver support via Paragon ExtFS.[59]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
- NetBSD: native support since 1.3.[3]
- OpenBSD: native support since 2.6.[72]
- ReactOS: native support between 0.4.2[66] and a later date[67]. (needs more precise version info)
- SerenityOS: primary filesystem.[73]
- Syllable: native read-only support.[74]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: read-only support via explore2fs.[59]
- Windows NT family: driver support since NT 4.0 via Ext2fs.sys.[76]
ext3 / Third extended filesystem
Successor to ext2. Superseded by ext4.[64]
- FreeBSD: native support since 11.0.[77]
- KolibriOS: native support.[69]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.4.15.[78]
- macOS: driver support via Paragon ExtFS.[59]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
- NetBSD: limited native support since 1.3 by mounting as ext2.[3][79]
- ReactOS: native support between 0.4.2[66] and a later date[67]. (needs more precise version info)
- SunOS / Solaris: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- Syllable: native read-only support.[74]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: read-only support via explore2fs.[59]
- Windows NT family: driver support via Paragon ExtFS.[59]
ext3cow / Third extended filesystem with copy-on-write
Fork of ext3 with versioning.[80]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.6.[80]
ext4 / Fourth extended filesystem
- FreeBSD: read-only native support between 11.0 and 12.0; native support since 12.1.[81]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.6.28.[64]
- macOS: driver support via Paragon ExtFS.[59]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
- NetBSD: native support since 8.0.[3]
- ReactOS: native support between 0.4.2[66] and a later date[67]. (needs more precise version info)
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows NT family: semi-native, proxied support in WSL 2 via
wsl --mounton Windows Insider preview builds since Windows 10 20211.[82][83]
F2FS / Flash-friendly Filesystem
What it says on the tin.
- Linux: mainline support since 3.8.[84]
FAT / File Allocation Table
Original 8-bit structure for Microsoft’s early BASIC disks.[85]
- Standalone Disk BASIC-80: primary filesystem.[85]
Might be forward-compatible with later FAT variants; needs research/testing.
FAT12 / 12-bit File Allocation Table
Twelve-bit extension of FAT.[85] Still widely used on “IBM-formatted” floppy disks.
- Altair DOS: primary filesystem.[86]
- ANDOS: primary filesystem.[87]
- AROS: native support.[88]
- AmigaOS: native support since 2.1 via CrossDOS.[89]
- BeOS: native support.[59]
- DIP DOS: primary filesystem.[44]
- DOS Plus: native support.[44]
- EmuTOS: native support.[90]
- FreeBSD: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- FreeDOS: native support.[44]
- GS/OS: native support via FST.[51]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- macOS: native support.[59]
- Classic Mac OS: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- MS-DOS: primary filesystem until 3.0; native support thereafter.[44]
- MenuetOS: native support.[91]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
- MSX-DOS: primary filesystem.[92]
- NetBSD: native support.[93]
- Nintendo Switch system software: native support.[62]
- OpenBSD: native support since at least 2.2.[94]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: primary filesystem for OS/2 1.0.[95]
- PC DOS / IBM DOS: primary filesystem until 3.𝑥; native support thereafter.[96]
- PTS-DOS: native support.[44]
- QDOS / 86-DOS: primary filesystem.[85]
- RISC OS: native support.[97] (needs more precise version info)
- SkyOS: native support.[98]
- Syllable: native support.[74]
- SymbOS: native support.[11]
- TOS: primary filesystem.[99]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: native support.[100]
- Windows CE: native support since at least 6.0.[101] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT family: native support.[100]
Might be forward-compatible with later FAT variants; needs research/testing.
FAT16 / 16-bit File Allocation Table
Extension to FAT12 which allowed access of large (at the time) hard disks.[85] Note that, when most people talk about FAT16, they actually mean FAT16B, which has 32-bit sector entries, as opposed to FAT16’s 16-bit entries.[85]
- Concurrent/Multiuser DOS / FlexOS: native support since Concurrent DOS 286.[85][102]
- DOS Plus: primary filesystem.[44]
- DR-DOS / Novell DOS / OpenDOS: primary filesystem between 3.0 and 3.29.[103]
- EmuTOS: native support.[104]
- FreeDOS: native support.[44]
- MS-DOS: primary filesystem between 3.0 and 3.33; native support thereafter.[44]
- NetBSD: native support.[93]
- PC DOS / IBM DOS: primary filesystem for 3.𝑥; native support thereafter.[44]
- PTS-DOS: native support.[44]
Might be forward-compatible with later FAT variants; needs research/testing.
FAT16+ / 16-bit File Allocation Table with extension
Extension to FAT16B allowing large file sizes through chained entries.[105] Considered a separate entry because of its critical incompatibilities with near-universal FAT16B extensions. See also: FAT32+.
FAT16B / 16-bit File Allocation Table (version B)
Revision of FAT16 with 32-bit sector entries.[85] Sometimes called Final FAT16, FAT16X or occasionlly BIGDOS.[85]
- AROS: native support.[88]
- AmigaOS: native support since 2.1 via CrossDOS.[89]
- AtheOS: native support.[106]
- BeOS: native support.[59]
- Concurrent/Multiuser DOS / FlexOS: native support.[85][102]
- DR-DOS / Novell DOS / OpenDOS: primary filesystem since 3.31.[85]
- EmuTOS: native support.[104]
- FreeBSD: native support.[59]
- FreeDOS: native support.[44]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- macOS: native support.[59]
- Classic Mac OS: native support.[59]
- MS-DOS: primary filesystem since 3.31.[44]
- Compaq MS-DOS: primary filesystem since 3.31.
- NetBSD: native support.[93]
- Nintendo Switch system software: native support.[62]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: primary filesystem for OS/2 1.1.[95]
- PC DOS / IBM DOS: primary filesystem since 4.0.[85]
- PTS-DOS: native support.[44]
- RISC OS: native support.[97] (needs more precise version info)
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: compilable support on 5.0 and possibly other versions.[6] (needs more precise version info)
- SkyOS: native support.[98]
- Syllable: native support.[74]
- SymbOS: native support.[11]
- TSX-32: native support.[107]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: primary filesystem until 95 OSR1; native support thereafter.[100]
- Windows CE: native support since at least 6.0.[101] (needs more precise version info)
Version information is lacking on Concurrent DOS and derivatives; needs research.
FAT32 / 32-bit File Allocation Table
32-bit extension to FAT16B.
- AtheOS: native support.[106]
- DR-DOS / Novell DOS / OpenDOS: native support since 7.06.[44]
- FreeDOS: primary filesystem.[44]
- Haiku: native support.[108]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- IBM 4690 OS: native support since version 2.[85]
- iPod system software: co-primary filesystem.[109]
- MenuetOS: native support.[91]
- NetBSD: native support since 1.3.[3]
- Nintendo Switch system software: native support.[62]
- PC DOS / IBM DOS: native support since 7.1.[96]
- Phantom: native support.[110]
- PTS-DOS: native support.[44]
- REAL/32: native support since 7.90.[111]
- RISC OS: native support.[97] (needs more precise version info)
- SkyOS: native support.[98]
- Syllable: native support.[74]
- SymbOS: native support.[11]
- TSX-32: native support.[107]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- IOS (Wii): native support.[112] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows 9𝑥: primary filesystem since 95 OSR2.[85]
- Windows CE: native support since at least 6.0.[101] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT family: native support since 2000.[59]
- Xbox 360 system software: native support.[113]
FAT32+ / 32-bit File Allocation Table with extension
Extension to FAT32 allowing large file sizes through chained entries.[105] Considered a separate entry because of its critical incompatibilities with near-universal FAT32 extensions.
FAT64
see: ETRFS
FATX / File Allocation Table for Xbox
Microsoft’s incompatible FAT32-based filesystem for Xbox.[85]
FFS / Fast File System (Amiga)
FFS / Fast File System (BSD)
see: UFS
FFS2 / Amiga Fast File System, version 2
Successor to FFS.
- AmigaOS: support on at least version 4.[116]
Filecore
see: ADFS
Files-11
FMS / Atari File Management Subsystem
Filesystem for Atari 810 floppy disks.[120]
- Atari DOS: primary filesystem.[120]
Fossil
Plan 9 filesystem featuring snapshots.[121]
- Plan 9: primary filesystem.[121]
FS1451
see: CBMFS
GEORGE 3 file system
Early copy-on-write tree-structured filesystem.[122]
- GEORGE: primary filesystem in v3.[122]
HAMMER
High-availability B+ tree filesystem.[123]
- DragonFly BSD: primary filesystem between 2.0 and 5.1.[123]
HAMMER2
- DragonFly BSD: native support since 3.8; primary filesystem since 5.2.[124]
HFS / Hierarchical File System (Apple)
Successor to MFS; also known as Mac OS Standard.[125]
- BeOS: native support.[23]
- GS/OS: native support via FST.[51]
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2009.[126] (needs more precise version info)
- macOS: native support until 10.5; read-only native support between 10.6 and 10.14.[125]
- Classic Mac OS: primary filesystem between 2.1 and 8.0[127]; native support since 8.1.[125]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
HFS / Hierarchical File System (IBM)
HFS / High-performance Filesystem
- HP/UX: native support in “older versions”.[2] (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
HFS Plus / HFS+ / Hierarchical File System Plus
Successor to HFS; also known as Mac OS Extended.[127]
- macOS: primary filesystem until 10.13[14]; native support thereafter[127].
- Classic Mac OS: primary filesystem since 8.1.[127]
- iOS: primary filesystem before 10.3.[18]
- iPod system software: co-primary filesystem.[109]
- MorphOS: native support.[9]
- NetBSD: native support since 5.0.[3]
- Windows NT family: driver support via HFS+ for Windows.[129]
- tvOS: primary filesystem before 10.2.[18]
- watchOS: primary filesystem since 4.0.[18]
High Sierra Format
Direct predecessor to ISO 9660.[130]
- Classic Mac OS: extension support since 7.1.[131]
- OSF/1 / Digital/Tru64 UNIX: native support.[132]
- OpenVMS: native support.[133]
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: compilable support on 5.0 and possibly other versions.[6] (needs more precise version info)
- SunOS: native support since at least 4.1.3.[134] (needs more precise version info)
HPFS / High Performance File System
B+ tree filesystem intended to replace FAT on OS/2.[135]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: primary filesystem between 1.2[135] and before ArcaOS[59]; native support thereafter[59]. (needs more precise version info)
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2.6.12.[136] (needs more precise version info)
- MS-DOS: read-only driver support via HPFSDOS.[137]
- Windows 9𝑥 family: driver support for 3.1 via hpfsa102.[137]
- Windows NT family: native support until NT 3.51[135]; spotty driver support thereafter:
HTFS / High Throughput Filesystem
Also known as the CrosStor filesystem.[2]
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: primary filesystem between at least 4.0[6] and 6.0[7]. (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
IceFS / IceFileSystem
Reliable 64-bit filesystem.[140]
- MorphOS: third-party support.[9]
IDE64 filesystem
Seemingly the only filesystem on LUnix.[141]
- LUnix: native support.[141]
ISO 9660
Typical CD-ROM filesystem, often called CDFS or CD9660.[130]
- AmigaOS: native support since at least 3.2.[142] (needs more precise version info)
- AROS: native support.[88]
- BeOS: native support.[23]
- FreeBSD: native support since 4.4 Lite.[143]
- FreeDOS: driver support via MSCDEX.[144]
- GS/OS: native support via FST.[51]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- HP/UX: native support at least since 10.20.[145] (needs more precise version info)
- IRIX: native support since at least 6.5.30.[146] (needs more precise version info)
- KolibriOS: native read-only support.[69]
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2.6.12.[147] (needs more precise version info)
- macOS: native support.[130]
- Classic Mac OS: support since System 7.[130]
- MorphOS: native support.[148]
- MS-DOS: driver support via MSCDEX since at least 4.0.[149] (needs more precise version info)
- NetBSD: native support.[3]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- OSF/1 / Digital/Tru64 UNIX: native support.[132]
- OpenVMS: native support.[133]
- Phantom: native support.[110]
- ReactOS: native support.[67]
- RISC OS: native support since 3.6.[150]
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: compilable support on 5.0 and possibly other versions.[6] (needs more precise version info)
- Serenity: native support.[73]
- SunOS: native support since at least 4.1.3.[134] (needs more precise version info)
- Syllable: native read-only support.[74]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: native support.[151]
- Windows CE: support since at least 6.0.[152] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT: native support since 4.0.[153]
- z/OS: native support.[59]
JFFS / Journaling Flash File System
Filesystem specialised for flash memory devices; superseded by JFFS2.[154]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.0.[154]
JFFS2 / Journaling Flash File System, version 2
JFS / Journaled Filesystem
IBM filesystem.[156]
- AIX: native support.[2] (needs more precise version info)
- HP/UX: native support.[2] (needs more precise version info)
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2.6.12.[156] (needs more precise version info)
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: native support on version 5[2]; primary filesystem on ArcaOS[59]. (needs more precise version info)
Not much else is known; needs research.
JXFS
AmigaOS file system.[116]
- AmigaOS: support no later than 4.1 Final Edition.[116] (needs more precise version info)
LanyFS / Lanyard File System
Theoretical file system intended for removable devices.[157]
- Linux: patch support for 3.5.[158]
Lisa filesystem
Predecessor to MFS for the Apple Lisa.[159]
- Lisa OS: primary filesystem.[159]
LFS / Log-structured File System
Original BSD log-structured filesystem.[160]
LTFS / Linear Tape File System
IBM’s novel approach to magnetic tape file storage.[161]
Sensible OS compatibility information is difficult to find; needs research.
Mac OS Standard
see: HFS
Mac OS Extended
see: HFS+
MDR
FAT-like floppy disk filesystem for Yamaha Electone organs.[162]
Not much else is known; needs research.
MFS / Macintosh File System
MFS / Media File System
Proprietary filesystem for use on TiVo DVRs.[164]
Not much is known about TiVo software in general; needs research.
MINIX filesystem
Primary filesystem for the eponymous OS.[165]
Next3
Journalling filesystem based on ext3.[167]
- Linux: kernel module support.[167] (needs more precise version info)
NGFS / New Generation File System
Filesystem designed for the DOS vector-port API.[116]
- AmigaOS: native support on version 4.[116]
NILFS / New Implementation of a Log-structured File System
Circular-buffer filesystem built for Linux.[168]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.6.13.[169]
NILFS2 / New Implementation of a Log-structured File System, version 2
- Linux: mainline support since 2.6.30.[169]
North Star DOS filesystem
Disk filesystem for North Star Horizon floppies.[170]
- North Star DOS: primary filesystem.[170]
Not much else is known; needs research.
NOVA / NOn-Volatile memory Accelerated log-structured file system
High-performance NVDIMM (and the like) filesystem.[171]
- Linux: patch support for various versions since 4.13.[171]
NSS / Novell Storage Services
Presumably the successor to NWFS 386.[2]
- Novell NetWare: native support since 5.0.[2]
NTFS / New Technology File System
Microsoft’s successor to HPFS.[172]
- DR-DOS / Novell DOS / OpenDOS: read-only driver support via NTFSREAD.[172]
- FreeBSD: native support since 3.2.[173]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- KolibriOS: native read-only support.[69]
- Linux: mainline read-only support between 2.5.11 and 2.6.14; full mainline support since 2.6.15.[172]
- macOS: read-only native support since 10.3.[172]
- MorphOS: third-party support.[9]
- MS-DOS: driver support via NTFS4DOS.[174]
- NetBSD: native support since 1.5.[3]
- OpenBSD: native support since 4.9.[175]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: driver support via NetDrive.[176]
- ReactOS: limited native support; FUSE support.[67]
- SunOS / Solaris: native support.[59] (needs more precise version info)
- Syllable: native read-only support.[74]
- Windows CE: driver support since 6.0 via Tuxera NTFS for Windows CE.[177]
- Windows NT family: primary filesystem.[172]
NWFS 286 / NetWare Filesystem, 16-bit
Novell’s proprietary filesystem; succeeded by NWFS 386.[2]
- Novell NetWare: primary filesystem.[2] (needs more precise version info)
NWFS 386 / NetWare Filesystem, 32-bit
OFS / Amiga Old File System
Predecessor to FFS; known as Amiga File System before then.[178]
ODS-1 / On-disk structure level 1
Flat file system for RSX-11; superseded by ODS-2 and ODS-5.[133]
ODS-2 / On-disk structure level 2
ODS-3 / On-disk structure level 3
ODS-4 / On-disk structure level 4
see: High Sierra[133]
ODS-5 / On-disk structure level 5
OS/8 filesystem
Simple flat filesystem for PDP-8 mass storage.[180]
- OS/8: primary filesystem.[180]
πfs / pifs / Pi filesystem
Proof-of-concept filesystem using indices of π.[181]
- Linux: FUSE support.
PFS / Professional File System
Backwards-compatible successor to Ami-FileSafe.[182]
- AmigaOS: native support since around 1995.[182] (needs more precise version info)
PFS2 / Professional File System II
Not much else is known; needs research.
PFS3 / Professional File System III
ProDOS filesystem
Apple II and III disk filesystem introduced with the Apple III.[183]
QNX filesystem, version 2
Predecessor to QNX v4.
- QNX: primary filesystem on version 2.[2]
Not much else is known; needs research.
QNX filesystem, version 4
Successor to QNX v2.
Not much else is known; needs research.
RDS0 / RSTS Directory Structure 0
Original RSTS/E filesystem.[187]
- RSTS/E: primary filesystem before 8.0-06.[187]
RDS1 / RSTS Directory Structure 1
- RSTS/E: primary filesystem since 8.0-06.[187]
RedSea File System
Simple filesystem superficially similar to FAT32.[188]
- TempleOS: primary filesystem.[188]
ReFS / Resilient File System
Microsoft’s successor to NTFS.[189]
- Windows NT family: native support since 8.1 and Server 2012.[189]
ReiserFS
General-purpose filesystem noted for technical issues.[190]
Reliance
Embedded filesystem by Datalight.[191] Superseded by Reliance Nitro.
Reliance Nitro
Successor to Reliance.
- Windows NT family: driver support.[192]
RFS
Not much else is known aside from name[134]; needs research.
RT-11 filesystem
DEC’s tape and disk filesystem for RT-11.[59]
- RT-11: native filesystem.[59]
Not much else is known; needs research.
S51K / System V 1kB Filesystem
Variant on the Unix filesystem.[2]
SFS / Smart Filesystem
Third-party filesystem for Amiga computers.[195]
SFS2 / Smart Filesystem 2
- AmigaOS: support on at least version 4.[116]
Sinclair QL filesystem
Originally for microdrive cassettes on QL systems.[196]
- Sinclair QDOS: primary filesystem.
SkyFS / SkyOS filesystem
Implementation of BFS for SkyOS.[197]
- SkyOS: primary filesystem.[197]
SOS filesystem
see: ProDOS filesystem
Soup
Shallow database which can barely be considered a filesystem.[198]
- NetwonOS: primary
filesystemmeans of storage.[198]
SpadFS / Systém pro Psychopaty a Debily
Experimental filesystem.[38]
- Linux: kernel module support.[38] (needs more precise version info)
Spiralog filesystem
High-performance log-structured B-tree filesystem.[2]
- OpenVMS: native support on Alpha platform.[2]
System V filesystem
see: Unix filesystem
TFS
Replacement for ZFS on Redox OS.[199]
- Redox OS: native support.[199]
TOPS-20 filesystem
File structure unique to DEC disk packs.[200]
- TOPS-20: primary filesystem.[200]
TR-DOS filesystem
Filesystem for the ZX Spectrum.[201]
- TR-DOS: primary filesystem.[201]
TRSDOS filesystem
Umbrella term for various, usually-compatible filesystem implementations on TRS-80 computers.[202]
Needs better research.
Tux2
Versioning B-tree filesystem.[203] Never released due to patent issues. Succeeded by Tux3.
- Linux: kernel module support for at least 2.2.13.[204]
Tux3
Versioning B-tree filesystem to succeed Tux2.[204]
- Linux: kernel module support since at least 2.6.𝑥.[204]
UBIFS / Unsorted Block Image File-System
Direct-access MTD equivalent of JFFS2.[205]
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2009.[205] (needs more precise version info)
UCSD p-System filesystem
Companion filesystem for UCSD Pascal.[206]
UDF / Universal Disk Format
DVD equivalent of ISO 9660.[207] Sometimes called UDFS.[152]
- AIX: native support since 5.2.[207]
- AmigaOS: native support since 4.0.[207]
- BeOS / Haiku / ZETA: native support.[207] (needs more precise version info)
- FreeBSD: native support since 5.0.[207]
- Haiku: native support.[32]
- HelenOS: native support.[60]
- Linux: native support since 2.4.[207]
- macOS: native support.[207]
- Classic Mac OS: spotty support for System 7.5 and 7.6 and Mac OS 8.0; native support since 8.1.[207] (needs more precise version info)
- NetBSD: native support since 5.0.[3]
- OpenBSD: read-only support since 3.8.[207]
- OS/2 / eComStation / ArcaOS: native support.[207] (needs more precise version info)
- Solaris: native support since 7.[207]
- Visopsys: native support.[75]
- Windows 9𝑥: native support since Windows 98.[207]
- Windows CE: native support since at least 6.0.[152] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT family: read-only native support between 2000 and XP; full native support since Vista.[207]
UFS / Unix filesystem (original)
Filesystem used in Ancient and AT&T Unices.[208]
- Ancient UNIX: primary filesystem.[208]
- AT&T UNIX: primary filesystem.[208]
- A/UX: primary filesystem until 0.7.[209]
- BSD: primary filesystem before 4.1b.[210]
- Genera: native support.[5]
- HP-UX: native support.[211] (needs more precise version info)
- macOS: native support until 10.7.[211]
- NeXTSTEP: primary filesystem.[211]
- SunOS / Solaris: native support.[211] (needs more precise version info)
- OSF/1 / Digital/Tru64 UNIX: native support.[211] (needs more precise version info)
UFS / Unix File System (rewrite)
BSD’s improvement to the UNIX filesystem, initially known as BSD Fast File System (FFS).[208]
- A/UX: primary filesystem after 0.7.[209]
- BSD: primary filesystem since 4.1b.[210]
- FreeBSD: primary filesystem before 5.0; native support thereafter.[212][213]
- Linux: mainline support since at least 2.6.12.[214] (needs more precise version info)
- OpenBSD: primary filesystem.[94]
- Windows NT: driver support on NT 3.1 and possibly later via winufssh.exe.[2]
UFS / ULTRIX File System
Might be the same thing as UFS.[215]
- ULTRIX: primary filesystem.[215]
UFS2 / Unix File System, version 2
VMUFAT / Virtual Memory Unit File Allocation Table
FAT extension for Sega Dreamcast VMUs.[216]
- Linux: mainline support since 2.6.30.[216]
VxFS / VERITAS File System
Extent-based filesystem primarily for HP-UX.[217]
- AIX: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
- HP-UX: primary filesystem.[217]
- Linux: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
- Reliant UNIX: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
- SCO Unix / OpenDesktop / OpenServer: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
- Solaris: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
- UnixWare: native support.[217] (needs more precise version info)
Wii filesystem
Proprietary FAT-style filesystem used on Wii NAND flash.[218]
- IOS: primary filesystem.[218]
- Linux: limited support via zestig.[219]
- Windows NT family: limited support via NAND Tools.[220]
Wii U filesystem
Proprietary filesystem used on Wii U storage.[221]
WinFS
Experimental filesystem slated to replace NTFS.[38]
Allegedly only available from within Microsoft’s labs.[38]
Xiafs
Short-lived alternative to the MINIX filesystem on Linux.[65]
- Linux: native support between 0.99.15 and 2.1.21.[65]
XFS
YAFFS / Yet Another Flash File System
NAND-specialised filesystem.[38]
Not much else is known; needs research.
zFS (z/OS)
- MVS / OS/390 / z/OS: native support since MVS/ESA V5R2.2.[224]
ZFS / Zettabyte File System
Sun’s stab at volume management.[225]
- FreeBSD: native support since 7.0.[212]
- NetBSD: native support since 6.0.[3]
- Solaris: native support since at least version 10.[225] (needs more precise version info)
- Windows NT: driver support via OpenZFS on Windows.[59]
Footnotes & references
- Wikipedia: Advanced Disc Filing System
- The Linux Documentation Project: Filesystems HOWTO §9
- NetBSD source tree: CHANGES.prev
- Tru64 Unix manpages: advfs(4)
- Symbolics: Open Genera User’s Guide
- What are the filesystem types and the corresponding limitation sizes that can be used on SCO OpenServer 5?
- Filesystem mount options (HTFS, EAFS, AFS, S51K)
- AN!Wiki: Ami File Safe
- MorphOS Library: Filesystems
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: AtheOS File System
- SymbOS Facts: File-Manager
- rewk: AmsdosFS
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: APF Imagination Machine disk file system
- Wikipedia: Apple File System
- knightjp: Mounting APFS partition
- ArchWiki: File systems
- sgan81: apfs-fuse
- Apple Documentation Archive: File System Details
- bcachefs: bcachefs
- Michael Larabel: Linux 6.7 Released With Bcachefs, Intel Meteor Lake In Good Shape & Nouveau GSP Support
- Github: BetrFS
- Wikipedia: Be File System
- The Be Book: File System Architecture
- BeFS driver for Linux
- OSnews: Syllable Desktop 0.6.5 Released (comments on)
- Wikipedia: magnussoft ZETA
- Martin Hinner: UnixWare boot filesystem for Linux
- BitSavers: System V Release 4 manual, pg. 5-10
- Tigran A. Aivazian: Linux Implementation of SCO UnixWare BFS
- Wikipedia: List of file systems
- Wikipedia: Btrfs
- Haiku source: src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/Jamfile
- maharmstone: WinBtrfs
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: CBMFS
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: Commodore 1581 filesystem
- Simson L. Garfinkel: A File System For Write-Once Media
- AROS source: /rom/filesys/CDVDFS/CDVDFS.guide
- AN!Wiki: Filesystem List
- Wikipedia: CMS file system
- Zimmers.net: Commodore 1581 (archive of)
- Compucolor.org: Compucolor II Disk Format
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: CP/M file system
- Cromemco: CDOS User's Manual
- Wikipedia: Comparison of DOS operating systems
- Wikipedia: CSI-DOS
- BTOS/CTOS Disk Structures
- Datapoint: Cassette Tape Operating System
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: DDFS
- Wikipedia: DECtape
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: Apple DOS file system
- 6502 Disassembly: GS/OS System 6.0.1 FST Disassembly
- Paul Lefebvre: Understanding the Atari DOS 2 File Format, Part 1
- EFS for Linux
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: EOS file system (Coleco)
- Suilesh Chutani et al.: The Episode File System
- Wikipedia: EROFS
- Wikipedia: exFAT
- MDGX: MS-DOS 5.00 - 9.00 Undocumented + Hidden Secrets § exFAT
- Wikipedia: Comparison of file systems
- HelenOS source: uspace/srv/fs/
- LWN.net: The 5.4 hernel has been released
- eSOL: Nintendo Switch Game Console Adopts eSOL µITRON 4.0-Compliant RTOS and exFAT File System
- Microsoft Learn: Extended FAT File System (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
- IBM Developer: Anatomy of ext4 § A short history of the extended file system
- Wikipedia: Xiafs
- ReactOS: ReactOS 0.4.2 Released
- ReactOS Wiki: File Systems FAQ
- FreeBSD manual pages: ext2fs(5) at 11.0-RELEASE
- KolibriOS Wiki: FAQ
- Wikipedia: ext2
- OpenBSD manpages: fstab(5) at 2.5
- OpenBSD manpages: fstab(5) at 2.6, as compared to 2.5[71]
- SerenityOS source: Kernel/FileSystem/
- Syllable: Frequently Asked Questions
- About Visopsys
- Ext2 Installable File System For Windows
- FreeBSD manual pages: ext2fs(5) at 10.4-RELEASE, as compared to 11.0-RELEASE[68]
- linux-kernel mailing list: 2.4.15-final
- NetBSD Wiki: Implement ext3 file system support
- Wikipedia: ext3cow
- FreeBSD manual pages: ext2fs(5) at 12.1-RELEASE, as compared to 11.0-RELEASE[68]
- Lawrence Abrams: Windows 10 now lets you mount Linux ext4 filesystems in WSL 2
- Microsoft: Mount a Linux disk in WSL 2
- Phoronix: F2FS File-System Merged Into Linux 3.8 Kernel
- Wikipedia: File Allocation Table
- David Hansel: Altair 8800 Simulator
- Wikipedia: ANDOS
- AROS source: rom/filesys/
- Workbench 3.0 User’s Guide § 7
- EmuTOS source: doc/old_changelog.txt
- Operating System Documentation Project: MenuetOS
- Beta Wiki: MSX-DOS
- NetBSD 1.0 source tree: msdosfs_fat.c
- OpenBSD manpages: fstab(5) at 2.2
- Wikipedia: OS/2
- Wikipedia: IBM PC DOS
- RISC OS Open: Hardware Support
- Wikipedia: SkyOS
- James Youngma: TOS (Atari ST) filesystem on floppy
- Wikipedia: Windows 95
- Microsoft Learn: Formatting a FAT Partition (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
- Wikipedia: FlexOS
- Wikipedia: DR-DOS
- EmuTOS source: doc/fat16.txt
- Udo Kuhnt, Luchezar Georgiev & Jeremy Davis: Proposal: FAT+
- Eugenia Loli: Introduction & Review of AtheOS 0.3.7
- Wikipedia: TSX-32
- stellarpower: Best File System for Multi Boot
- Just Solve the File Format Problem wiki: iPod Filesystem
- Phantom userland source: etc/attic
- Wikipedia: Multiuser DOS
- Dae: Wii SD Card Support
- Emily: How to Format USB Flash Drive for Xbox 360 on PC?
- mborgerson: fatx
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: FFS
- AmigaOS Wiki: AmigaOS File Systems
- Linux.org: Amiga Fast File System (AFFS)
- OpenBSD manpages: fstab(5)
- OpenBSD manpages: fstab(5) at 4.2 as compared to 4.1[118]
- Wikipedia: Atari 8-bit family § Disk Operating System
- Wikipedia: Fossil (file system)
- Wikipedia: GEORGE (operating system)
- Wikipedia: HAMMER (file system)
- Wikipedia: HAMMER
- Wikipedia: Hierarchical File System
- Linux source: fs/hfs
- Wikipedia: HFS Plus
- Wikipedia: Hierarchical File System (IBM MVS)
- HFS+ for Windows
- Wikipedia: ISO-9660
- Apple Discussions: How to Read a CD on 7.5.5?
- OSF/1 V1.0 manpages: fstab(4)
- Wikipedia: Files-11
- SunOS 4.1.3 manpages: fstab(5)
- Wikipedia: High Performance File System
- Linux source: fs/hpfs
- ucb.os.os2: Can Windows 95 read HPFS?
- OS/2 Site: Drivers - Filesystem - HPFS
- comp.os.os2.misc: Reading HPFS files from Windows XP
- Leif Salomonsson: IceFileSystem
- LUnix 0.21 sources
- Adventures in Amiga Land: Installing AmigaOS 3.2 - First Impressions!
- FreeBSD 13.1 manpages: cd9660(5)
- HP Support Community: How can access the Cd/DVD rom from FreeDos?
- HP/UX 10.20 manpages: fstab(4)
- IRIX 6.5.30 manpages: fstab(4)
- Linux source: fs/isofs
- MorphOS: Hardware Compatibility
- Microsoft Help and Support: History of Microsoft MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions (MSCDEX) (archive of)
- RISC OS PRM volume 5a chapter 113
- Indiana University Information Technology Services: In Windows 95 or Windows 98, how do I access my CD-ROM drive under safe mode?
- Microsoft Support: A CD is not mounted on a Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3-based device that supports CDFS and UDFS
- TP General - Installing Windows NT 4.0 from a non-supported CD-ROM drive
- Linux Devices: ELJonline: Flash Filesystems for Embedded Linux Systems (archive of)
- David Woodhouse: JFFS2
- Linux source: fs/jfs
- danrl: lanyfs-docs
- danrl: lanyfs-linux
- Lisa Filesystem Shell Tool
- Wikipedia: Log-structured File System (BSD)
- Wikipedia: Linear Tape File System
- serge45: Files on a MDR Floppy disk
- Apple: Technote 1096: Mac OS 7.6.1 (archive of)
- Wikipedia: TiVo Media File System
- Wikipedia: MINIX file system
- Probe House Software: Mint Extended filesystem
- NEXT3
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: NILFS
- Linux source tree: fs/nilfs2
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: North Star DOS file system
- NVSL: linux-nova
- Wikipedia: NTFS
- FreeBSD 3.2 Release Notes
- Avira: NTFS4DOS Personal (archive of)
- OpenBSD 4.9 Changelog
- NTFS plugin for NetDrive
- Tuxera: Tuxera NTFS for Windows CE Reelased
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: OFS
- VMS2Linux: ods5 file system
- Wikipedia: OS/8
- Philip Langdale: pifs
- Wikipedia: Professional File System
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: ProDOS file system
- KG7PFS: Why didn't somebody tell me about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- bobbimanners: ProDOS-Utils
- Wikipedia: RSTS/E
- RedSea File Sysyem
- Resilient File System (ReFS) overview
- Wikipedia: ReiserFS
- Datalight: Reliance
- : Reliance Nitro
- What's the difference between the standard S51K filesystem and Acer filesystem?
- igb: I'd do it the slow but secure way.
- John Hendrikx: Home
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: Sinclair QL filesystem
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: SkyFS
- Wikipedia: Soup (Apple)
- Redox OS GitHub: TFS
- Digital: TOPS-20 User's Guide
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: TR-DOS filesystem
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: TRSDOS file system
- timothy: Tux2: The Filesystem That Would Be King
- Daniel Phillips: Tux3, a Versioning Filesystem
- Memory Technology Devices: UBIFS - UBI File-System
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: UCSD p-System Filesystem
- Wikipedia: Universal_Disk_Format
- Gunkies: BSD Fast File System
- Gunkies: A/UX
- Gunkies: UNIX file system
- Wikipedia: Unix File System
- FreeBSD Handbook
- Linux source tree: fs/ufs
- Linux source tree: fs/xfs
- ULTRIX man pages: fstab(5)
- Adrian McMenamin: VMUFAT filesystem - v2
- Wikipedia: Veritas File System
- WiiBrew: Hardware/NAND
- Dolphin Emulator wiki: NAND Usage Guide
- bg4545 et al.: Giantpune's Wii NAND Tools
- PhusionDev et al.: Wii U File System
- koolkdev: wfs-tools
- Let’s Solve the File Format Problem! wiki: XFS
- Wikipedia: zFS (z/OS file system)
- Wikipedia: ZFS
Further reading
Select resources that I find interesting and relevant to on-disk filesystems.
- A File Systems Geek (blog)