In computing, an inode (index node) is a data structure that contains the metadata of a file in a file system. It keeps track of the file’s size, permissions, ownership, and the location of its data on the disk. Every file and directory in a file system has an associated inode.
Inodes are important because they allow the operating system to quickly and efficiently access file information without having to read the entire file from disk. They also provide a level of security by protecting file metadata from unauthorized access.
