Record-oriented filesystem

"Record-oriented file" redirects here. For this feature in the Distributed Data Management Architecture, see Record-oriented file (DDM).

In computer science, a record-oriented filesystem is a file system where data are stored as collections of records. This is in contrast to a stream filesystem, where the data are treated as an unformatted stream of bytes.

Record-oriented file systems are abstractions of files kept on paper in earlier times. A record might contain data associated with a particular, e.g., building, contact, employee, part, venue.

There are several different possible record formats; the details vary depending on the particular system. In general the formats can be fixed-length or variable length, with different physical organizations or padding mechanisms; metadata may be associated with the file records to define the record length, or the data may be part of the record. Different access methods for records may be provided, for example records may be retrieved in sequential order, by key, or by record number.

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