Dokan

Dokan is a super handy tool if you're looking to create a file system that goes beyond the usual FAT or NTFS formats. When you create your own file system, you’ll need to set up a system driver that works in kernel mode on Windows. Think of Dokan as the Windows version of FUSE from Linux, helping you build compatible system files without any pesky modifications.

What is Dokany?

Now, here’s where Dokany comes into play! It’s basically a fork of the original Dokan project, which isn’t maintained anymore. This means it has both user and kernel mode drivers for your file systems. Just like with the original, you’ll first install the system driver, and then boom—you can start creating file systems that look and act just like regular ones in Windows!

How Does It Work?

The way it operates is pretty neat. Any requests for file operations from user programs go straight to the Windows I/O subsystem (which runs in kernel mode). From there, these requests get passed to your newly created file system driver using this tool. And guess what? You can even add extra callback operations through Dokan's functions! So when requests are made, the driver triggers those callback routines to handle them and sends everything back to the user program.

Getting Started with Dokan

If you're ready to dive into creating custom file systems with ease, check out Dokan here. It's all about making your life easier when managing files in a way that’s simple and efficient!