UTFS: A Tar-Like File System for Embedded Systems (2025)
3 days ago
- #file-system
- #embedded-systems
- #data-storage
- UTFS is a micro TAR file system for embedded systems, organizing data on flat address space storage using string-based file names.
- It separates data storage details from application-level structures and allows data size/position changes without loss.
- Designed for read, update, and write operations, with limited support for streaming or appending.
- UTFS addresses issues in traditional fixed data structures, such as buffer overflows and subsystem coupling.
- Inspired by the TAR archive format, it uses 24-byte headers with 12-byte file names and a 16-bit signature for version management.
- Eliminates open/close functions, loading/saving all data to/from RAM at once via utfs_load() and utfs_save().
- Handles data structure size changes gracefully, loading only matching sizes and saving updated structures automatically.
- Recommends using the signature variable for version control to validate or upgrade data across revisions.
- Integrates with legacy systems by allowing a configurable base address for data storage.