What Does Flat File System Mean?

A flat file system is a system in which every file in an operating system is at the same directory level. These primitive file systems were mostly used in early computing systems prior to the development of the hierarchical file systems that are used today.

Techopedia Explains Flat File System

Having every file in the same folder or at the same level of directory storage is a fairly simple design with some specific limitations. For instance, because every file is at the same directory level, each file needs its own unique name. It is also harder to isolate sets of files for specific purposes.