What is the file allocation table commonly known as?

The file allocation table is commonly known as FAT, which is a simple file system architecture originally developed by Microsoft. It serves as a foundational method for organizing and managing files on storage devices such as hard drives, USBs, and memory cards. The FAT system maintains a table that maps which sectors on the disk are being used and which are free, thereby managing the space effectively.

FAT has gone through various iterations, including FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32, each accommodating larger volumes and more files. While other file systems such as NTFS (New Technology File System) and CDFS (Compact Disc File System) have different functionalities and features, they are not synonymous with the basic concept of file allocation tables represented by FAT. Thus, FAT serves as the fundamental building block for file management in many operating systems, particularly older versions of Windows.