# File system

[!INCLUDE [stride-studio-note](../../includes/under-construction-note.md)]

We recommend you use the static class @'Stride.Core.IO.VirtualFileSystem' to access files across platforms. It offers all basic operations such as reading, writing, copying, checking existence and deleting files.

> [!Note]
> The path separator is / (Unix/Linux convention).    

## Code example

```cs
// Open a file through VirtualFileSystem
var gamesave1 = VirtualFileSystem.OpenStream("/roaming/gamesave001.dat", VirtualFileMode.Open, VirtualFileAccess.Read);
 
// Alternatively, directly access the same file through its file system provider (mount point)
var gamesave2 = VirtualFileSystem.ApplicationRoaming.OpenStream("gamesave001.dat", VirtualFileMode.Open, VirtualFileAccess.Read);
```

## Default mount points

| Mount point | Description                               | Writable | Cloud | Notes                                                                     | PC                                                | Android                          | iOS                        |
|-------------|-------------------------------------------|----------|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------|
| data        | Application data, deployed by package     | ✗        | ✗     |                                                                           | Output directory/data                             | APK itself                       | Deployed package directory |
| binary      | Application binaries, deployed by package | ✗        | ✗     | Usually the same as *app_data* (except on Android)                        | Assembly directory                                | Assembly directory               | Assembly directory         |
| roaming     | User specific data (roaming)              | ✓        | ✓     | Backup                                                                    | Output directory/roaming, *%APPDATA%*             | *$(Context.getFilesDir)/roaming* | Library/roaming            |
| local       | User application data                     | ✓        | ✓     | Backup                                                                    | Output directory/local                            | $(Context.getFilesDir)local      | Library/local              |
| cache       | Application cache                         | ✓        | ✗     | DLC, etc. Might be deleted manually by user (restore, clear data, etc...) | Output directory/cache, with do-not-back-up flags | *$(Context.getFilesDir)/cache*   | Library/caches             |
| tmp         | Application temporary data                | ✓        | ✗     | Might be deleted without notice by OS                                     | Output directory/temp, *%TEMP%/%APPNAME%*         | *$(Context.getCacheDir)*         | tmp                        |