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The document discusses various directory structures in operating systems, highlighting their hierarchical organization for efficient file management. It details five types: single-level, two-level, tree-structured, acyclic graph, and general graph directories, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of these structures in modern computing environments.

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42 views20 pages

OS Presentation

The document discusses various directory structures in operating systems, highlighting their hierarchical organization for efficient file management. It details five types: single-level, two-level, tree-structured, acyclic graph, and general graph directories, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of these structures in modern computing environments.

Uploaded by

glsuniversity789
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Directory

Structure
Presented by:

Parth J. Patel (55)

Aarjav Sheth (73)


INTRODUCTIO
•
N
Directory structures in an operating system provide a hierarchical
organization for storing and managing files and directories.

• They typically start with a root directory and allow for efficient data
access, organization, and navigation, simplifying file management
and access control.

• Directory structures are essential for modern computing


environments.
What is Directory Structure
•in
On a OS?
computer, a directory is used to store, arrange, and segregate
files and folders. It is similar to a telephone directory in that it just
contains lists of names, phone numbers, and addresses rather than the
real papers. It uses a hierarchical structure to organized files and
directories.

• Directory Structure in OS perform various operations such as Creating,


Searching, Deleting etc.
Types of Directory Structure
There are five types of Directory
Structure In OS

1. Single – Level Directory


2.Two – level Directory
3.Tree or Hierarchical Directory
4.Acyclic Graph Directory
5.General Graph Directory
Single-Level Directory
Structure
• The single-level directory is the simplest
directory structure. In this directory structure, all
the files are contained under the same directory
which is called the root directory.

• In this structure, no two files can have the


same name, even if they belong to different users
or programs. There is no way to segregate
• The pictorial representation of a single-level directory. There
is only one directory (root directory), and all the files are
stored in the same directory. Here f1, f2, f3, f4, f5 represent
the five different files.
 Advantages of single-level directory
• The main advantage of a single-level directory is that it is very simple to
implement.
• Since all the files are present in the same directory, in case the number
of files is less, then searching for a particular file is faster and easier.
• Simple operations like file creation, search, deletion, and updating are
possible with a single-level directory structure.
• The single-level directory is easier to understand in practical life.

 Disadvantages of single-level directory


• In case we want to organize the files in some groups, it is not possible to
do so since we cannot create subdirectories.
• Two file names cannot be the same. In case two files are given the same
name, the previous one is overridden.
• If the number of files is very large, searching a particular file is very
inefficient.
• Segregation of important and unimportant files is not possible.
Two-Level Directory
Structure
• We saw how the single-level directory proves to be inefficient if multiple
users are accessing the system. If two different users wanted to create a file
with the same name (say report.doc), it was not allowed in a single level
directory.

• In a two-level directory structure, there is a master node that has a separate


directory for each user. Each user can store the files in that directory. It can
be practically thought of as a folder that contains many folders, each for a
particular user, and now each user can store files in the allocated directory
just like a single level directory.
• The pictorial representation of a two-level directory. For every user, there
is a separate directory. At the next level, every directory stores the files
just like a single-level directory. Although not very efficient, the two-level
directory is better than a single-level directory structure.
 Advantages of two-level directory
• Searching is very easy.
• There can be two files with the same name in two different user
directories. Since they are not in the same directory, the same name
can be used.
• Grouping is easier.
• A user cannot enter another user’s directory without permission.
• Implementation is easy.

 Disadvantages of two-level directory


• One user cannot share a file with another user.
• Even though it allows multiple users, still a user cannot keep two
same type files in a user directory.
• It does not allow users to create subdirectories.
Tree-Structured Directory
Structure
• This type of directory is used in our PCs. The biggest disadvantage of a two-level
directory was that one could not create sub-directories in a directory. The tree-structured
directory solved this problem. In a tree-structured directory, there is a root directory at
the peak.

• The root directory contains directories for each user. The users can, however, create
subdirectories inside their directory and also store the files.

• This is how things work on our PCs. We can store some files inside a folder and also
create multiple folders inside a folder.
• The pictorial representation of a tree-structured directory. The root directory is
highly secured, and only the system administrator can access it. We can see
how there can be subdirectories inside the user directories. A user cannot
modify the root directory data. Also, a user cannot access another user's
directory.
Advantages of tree-structured directory
• Highly scalable compared to the previous two types of
directories.
• Allows subdirectories inside a directory.
• Searching is easy.
• Allows grouping.
• Segregation of important and unimportant files is easy.

Disadvantages of tree-structured
directory
• As one user cannot enter another user’s directory, this
restricts sharing of files.
• Too many subdirectories may make the search
complicated.
• Users cannot modify the root directory’s data.
• Files might have to be saved in multiple directories in
Acyclic Graph Directory
Structure
• Suppose there is a file abcd.txt. Out of the three types of directories we studied
above, none of them provide the flexibility to access the file abcd.txt from multiple
directories, i.e., we cannot access a particular file or subdirectory from two or more
directories. The file or the subdirectory can be accessed only by the directory it is
present inside.

• The solution to this problem is presented by the acyclic-graph directory. In this type
of directory, we can access a file or a subdirectory from multiple directories. Hence
files can be shared between directories. It is designed in such a way that multiple
directories point to a particular directory or file with the help of links.
• A practical example of this is a doc file shared between two users. If any of
the users makes a change in the file, the change is reflected for both the
users.
 Advantages of acyclic- graph directory
• Allows sharing of files or subdirectories from more than
one directory.
• Searching is very easy.
• Provides more flexibility to the users.

 Disadvantages of acyclic-graph
directory
• Harder to implement in comparison to the previous
three.
• Since the files are accessed from multiple directories,
deleting a file may cause some errors if the user is not
cautious.
General-Graph Directory
Structure
• This is an extension to the acyclic-graph
directory. In the general-graph directory, there
can be a cycle inside a directory.

• In this image, we can see that a cycle is formed


in the user 2 directory. Although it provides
greater flexibility, it is complex to implement
this structure.
 Advantages of General-graph
directory
• Compared to the others, the General-Graph
directory structure is more flexible.
• Cycles are allowed in the directory for general-
graphs.

• Disadvantages of General-graph
directory
• It costs more than alternative solutions.
• Garbage collection is an essential step here.
Conclusio
n
• Single-level directory, two-level directory, tree-structured directory, acyclic-
graph directory, and general-graph directory are various structures of a
directory.

• In a single-level directory, all the files are stored in a single directory.

• In a two-level directory structure, there are user directories, and each user
can store files in their own directory.

• A tree-structured directory is used in real-life practice. It allows the creation of


subdirectories.

• General-graph directory allows a cycle within a directory, but the acyclic-


graph directory does not.
Thank
You

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