> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://private-7c7dfe99-vortex-format.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> The Filesystem database engine exposes files in a local directory as read-only tables.

# Filesystem

The `Filesystem` database engine exposes files in a local directory as read-only tables. A table name is resolved as a path relative to the database directory and is read using the [`file`](/reference/functions/table-functions/file) table function.

<h2 id="creating-a-database">
  Creating a database
</h2>

```sql theme={null}
CREATE DATABASE files
ENGINE = Filesystem([path]);
```

`path` is the directory that contains the files. If it is omitted, ClickHouse uses the current directory in `clickhouse-local` and the `user_files` directory in ClickHouse server.

<h2 id="usage">
  Usage
</h2>

For example, with `data.csv` in the selected directory:

```sql theme={null}
CREATE DATABASE files ENGINE = Filesystem('imports');

SELECT * FROM files.`data.csv`;
```

The table name can include a relative path beneath the database directory. The table schema and format are inferred in the same way as for the `file` table function.

The database owns no table definitions: tables are created when their files are first resolved and are only cached for subsequent access. `CREATE TABLE`, `INSERT`, and other writes through this database are not supported.

<h2 id="access-control">
  Access control
</h2>

On ClickHouse server, the database directory and every resolved file must be inside [`user_files_path`](/reference/settings/server-settings/settings#user_files_path); this restriction also applies after following symlinks. `clickhouse-local` is not restricted to `user_files_path`.

Creating this database requires `READ` and `WRITE` source grants on `FILE`, regardless of [`table_engines_require_grant`](/reference/settings/server-settings/settings/other#table_engines_require_grant). Grant them with, for example:

```sql theme={null}
GRANT READ, WRITE ON FILE TO user_name;
```

See the [`SOURCES` privileges](/reference/statements/grant#sources) for version and compatibility details.

<h2 id="see-also">
  See also
</h2>

* [`file` table function](/reference/functions/table-functions/file)
* [S3 database engine](/reference/engines/database-engines/s3)
* [HDFS database engine](/reference/engines/database-engines/hdfs)