What is a file system file allocation table?

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What is a file system file allocation table?

A file system file allocation table (FAT) is a data structure used by file systems to organize and manage files on a storage device, such as a hard disk drive or a flash drive. It is a table that keeps track of the allocation status of each cluster or block on the storage device. The FAT contains entries for each file and directory, indicating the location of the file's data on the storage device. It helps in locating and accessing files efficiently by providing a map of the storage space and managing the allocation and deallocation of storage blocks.