Disk Utility in Mac is used for managing both internal and external storage. It can also be used to detect errors in Mac disks and repair them. The disk is compatible with several types of file system formats. The main file types are APFS and HFS. APFS file system helps run macOS 10.13 and later versions. The HFS file system supports storage functions on a wide range of drives. Without the file systems, it would be impossible to use MacBook. Here is a guide to Mac’s file systems.
Basics of a file system in MacBook
A file system in Mac is developed to help access Mac features by both users and software. The Finder feature was created to support a user-oriented view of the entire file system. It may hide or rename different files, including directories. The system works through segments of domains. A MacBook computer contains local, system, and user domains. The domain acts as a file host, and each file type is hosted in a specific domain. Apple has provided information on how to edit hosts file Mac for customization needs. macOS runs on two main types of file formats.
HFS
HFS was developed more than 30 years ago to run 800 KB floppy disks. It stands for Hierarchical File System. Its purpose is to keep all files on Mac hard disk organized. It used several directories in the laptop to allow users to add files to the disk. The file was created to handle hard disks with smaller volumes.
It was upgraded to HFS+ to allow it to handle disks with more than 100GB of storage. The system supports journaling on MacBook. Mac users might want to edit host files for different reasons. It might be due to issues like no mountable file systems Mac or corrupt files. Also, Mac OS X file systems may fail to work properly. There is a lot of how to edit hosts file Mac information available on different websites.
APFS
APFS is an abbreviation for Apple File System. All activities involving data organization and structure rely on this file format. The file system was released together with High Sierra in 2017. It is the default system in macOS High Sierra and later versions.
It is inbuilt into the macOS and iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It made it possible to optimize SSD computer storage. Users can edit host files and customize them to their needs. You can search online to understand how to edit hosts file on Mac.
Differences between HFS and APFS Mac file systems
HFS is commonly referred to as Mac OS Extended or Journaled file system. It has been in use in Mac computers since 1988. APFS was developed to optimize the working of SDDs. Both files allow editing by users to improve user experience. If you do not know Mac how to edit hosts file, you can get more information on the Apple website. Here are the differences.
Stability: IT experts say HFS is less stable compared to APFS. Its read-write speed is slower. The file system was developed for use on HDDs which are often unstable. APFS is more stable, which is why Apple uses it in SDDs. It was customized for SDDs and did not work on HDDs. It has a higher read-write speed.
Data encryption: APFS is built with full encryption-enabled features. The file system was developed for use across multiple Apple devices. Due to this, it was necessary to consider full disk encryption on the APFS system. HFS file system supports insecure HTTP only. Users can only encrypt a file or folder but cannot perform full encryption. The file system needs to be edited to allow an encryption layer on top of the file.
Space sharing: HFS has limited space-sharing capabilities. It has limited space volumes in the laptop. APFS containers have multiple volumes that allow the expansion of shared space. HFS cannot allow optimization on Mac’s storage, unlike APFS. HFS files allow up to 4 billion file allocation blocks. APFS allows up to 9 quintillion file allocation blocks.
Time Machine backup compatibility: HFS allows macOS Time Machine backup on any type of macOS. Users can also do Time Machine backups on any type of hard drive while using HFS file systems. APFS is optimized for Big Sur OS and later versions. It cannot do backup on older macOS versions. On the hard drive, APFS can only do backup on SDDs.
Conclusion
Apple uses two main types of file systems – HFS and APFS. The HFS system was developed when floppy disks were in use. It had to be upgraded to HFS+ to allow use on hard drives above 100GB. APFS is optimized for SDDs and was developed in 2017. It allows full data encryption.
