vfat
also: FAT32, Virtual FAT
VFAT is a file system that extends FAT32 to support long filenames and is commonly used on USB drives, SD cards, and other removable media for cross-platform compatibility.
VFAT (Virtual File Allocation Table) is an evolution of the FAT32 file system that added support for long filenames (up to 255 characters) while maintaining backward compatibility with older FAT systems. The original FAT and FAT32 were limited to 8.3 filename format (8 characters plus a 3-character extension).
VFAT achieves long filename support by using special directory entries that store the extended name information alongside the standard FAT entry. This makes VFAT files readable on systems that only support FAT32, though those systems will see truncated filenames.
On Linux, VFAT is primarily used for mounting USB drives, SD cards, and other removable media. You can mount a VFAT partition with: mount -t vfat /dev/sdb1 /mnt/usb. VFAT remains popular because it works reliably across Windows, macOS, and Linux systems without requiring special drivers.