Network File System
Network File System (NFS) is a distributed file system protocol that allows a user on a client computer to access files over a network as if they were on the local machine. It enables file sharing between systems, typically in Unix-like environments, by mounting remote directories locally. NFS is widely used for centralized storage and data sharing in networked environments.
Developers should learn NFS when working in networked or distributed computing environments, such as data centers, cloud infrastructure, or clustered systems, to enable seamless file access across multiple machines. It is particularly useful for scenarios like shared development environments, centralized logging, or media storage in applications requiring cross-system data consistency. Understanding NFS helps in configuring and troubleshooting file-sharing setups in Linux/Unix-based systems.