What does flat file system mean?

What is flat file example?

Examples of flat files include /etc/passwd and /etc/group on Unix-like operating systems. Another example of a flat file is a name-and-address list with the fields Name, Address, and Phone Number. A list of names, addresses, and phone numbers written by hand on a sheet of paper is a flat-file database.

Why is it called flat file?

A flat file database is a collection of records in which the data follows a uniform format and follows rules on value types where applicable. The database is flat because every line only holds one data input, depending on the categorization of the columns.

Why use a flat file?

A flat file is one of the simplest ways to store data. It keeps the data in a plain text file, with each line of text containing one record. You can use tabs or commas to delimit the various fields within a record. Each record may represent a customer order, employee information or a product, etc.

What is the problem with a flat file?

Disadvantages of flat file databases: The computer has more data to read through, so accessing and searching through them can be slow. Data has to be repeated and leads to inputting errors and inconsistencies. File sizes can be large due to repeated data.