what is the difference between all of the Mac OS journaled and APFS disk types etc and are any of them HFS or exFAT?

Here's a rundown of the primary macOS file system options, their uses, and how they differ. Mac file systems have evolved from HFS to HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) and more recently to APFS, with some support for exFAT. Each system has strengths suited for different use cases.

1. APFS (Apple File System)

• Introduced: With macOS High Sierra (2017).

• Best for: SSDs and flash storage, though it also works on HDDs.

• Features:

  • Snapshots: Allows you to take read-only snapshots of the file system at a point in time.
  • Space Sharing: Allows multiple volumes within a container to share space dynamically, without needing fixed partition sizes.
  • Cloning and Copy-on-Write: Efficiently manages copies, creating duplicates without doubling data.
  • Native Encryption: Full disk and per-file encryption options.

• Format Options:

  • APFS (Standard)
  • APFS (Encrypted): Adds encryption for data security.
  • APFS (Case-sensitive): Makes the file system case-sensitive (e.g., "file.txt" and "File.txt" are different files).
  • APFS (Case-sensitive, Encrypted): Combines case sensitivity and encryption.

• Limitations:

  • Not compatible with older macOS versions (before High Sierra).
  • Works best on SSDs; performance benefits are less noticeable on HDDs.
  • Limited compatibility with non-Apple operating systems.

2. Mac OS Extended (HFS+)

• Introduced: 1998.

• Also Known As: HFS Plus, HFS+, or Mac OS Journaled.

• Best for: Traditional hard drives (HDDs) and compatibility with older macOS versions.

• Features:

  • Journaling: Tracks changes in a log (or "journal") to help recover data if the system crashes.
  • Hierarchical File System Plus: An improvement on the original HFS, adding better file management and larger volume support.
  • Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive): Available with case sensitivity if required.
  • Encryption: An option, though less integrated than in APFS.

• Format Options:

  • Mac OS Extended (Journaled): Standard journaling for improved data integrity.
  • Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted): Adds encryption to journaling.
  • Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled): Adds case sensitivity to journaling.
  • Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted): Combines case sensitivity, journaling, and encryption.

• Limitations:

  • Not optimized for SSDs; generally less efficient than APFS.
  • Journaling can slow down performance slightly, though it improves data integrity.

3. exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)

• Introduced: By Microsoft, 2006.
• Best for: Cross-platform compatibility, especially with Windows systems and devices that don’t support APFS or HFS+.
• Features:
  • No Journaling: Makes it faster, but less resilient to sudden crashes.
  • Larger File and Partition Support: Can handle larger files (up to 16 EB) and larger partition sizes than FAT32.
  • Cross-Platform: Supported by both macOS and Windows (unlike APFS and HFS+).
• Limitations:
  • Lack of journaling can lead to data loss in case of sudden power loss or disconnection.
  • Limited permissions and metadata support compared to APFS or HFS+.

Differences Summary

Are Any of These HFS or exFAT?

• Mac OS Extended is also referred to as HFS+, the evolution of the original HFS (Hierarchical File System), which is now mostly obsolete.
• exFAT is a different file system that is compatible across macOS and Windows, but it lacks journaling and other advanced features found in APFS or HFS+.

In general:

• Use APFS for SSDs and flash drives, especially if using newer macOS versions.
• Use Mac OS Extended for older HDDs or if you need compatibility with older macOS systems.
• Use exFAT for external drives that need to be compatible with both macOS and Windows.