File-based

File-based refers to systems, processes, or data that are stored, managed, or accessed using individual files as the fundamental organizational unit. Unlike database systems, file-based approaches often involve direct manipulation of files containing information, such as text documents, spreadsheets, images, or code. This method prioritizes data residing within discrete files, enabling modularity, portability, and sometimes simplicity, but can also present challenges in terms of data integrity, concurrency, and search efficiency compared to structured databases. file-based systems are commonly found in document management, software configuration, and simple data storage.

File-based meaning with examples

• The project's source code was managed using a file-based system of individual `.cpp` and `.h` files, organized into directories. Each file represented a specific class or function, facilitating modular development and allowing for easy version control. This approach allowed the developers to edit files in parallel. The system's flexibility proved beneficial during refactoring, which allowed rapid adjustment.
• During data analysis, the initial dataset was imported into a file-based format, specifically a comma-separated values (CSV) file. Each row in the file represented a data point, while columns represented different variables. This simple format proved very efficient when processing large amounts of data. Various analysis programs were used to directly access the data stored in files, such as Pandas, in Python.
• The website's content was stored using a file-based system, where each web page had a corresponding HTML file in a directory structure. Images, scripts, and style sheets were also saved as individual files. This design allowed the developers to update any piece of data, or web page independently. This straightforward file-based approach facilitated easy deployment and content management without requiring database integration.
• The application's configuration settings were primarily managed through file-based configuration files, such as `.ini` or `.yaml` files. These files contained key-value pairs for setting up and managing data. This gave the administrator the ability to modify the system to their needs. It was straightforward to modify or relocate the configuration files when required, offering great flexibility in operation.
• In the context of image processing, each image was handled as a distinct file, for example `.jpg` or `.png`. Various image editing operations were done on these files. This allowed each image to be processed separately. This method was very flexible, and also permitted the integration of other tools.