Type of file organization - SS2 ICT Lesson Note

File organization refers to the way data is arranged within a file or a set of files. There are several types of file organization:

 

Sequential File Organization: In this method, records are stored in a linear order, one after another. It's easy to implement and is suitable for batch processing. However, accessing random records can be slow.

 

Indexed Sequential File Organization: This method combines sequential and indexed methods. An index is used to speed up access to records by pointing to their physical locations on the storage medium.

 

Direct File Organization (Random Access): In this approach, records can be accessed directly without having to traverse the entire file. A key or an address is used to locate the desired record. This is faster than sequential access but may require more complex management.

 

Indexed File Organization: Records are stored sequentially, but an index table is maintained that contains pointers to record locations. This enables quick access to records based on their indexed attributes.