Which file system is known to support alternate data streams?

The file system known to support alternate data streams is NTFS 4.0. This capability allows files to contain multiple data streams, which can hold different types of information associated with a single file. This feature is particularly useful for applications that require the storage of additional metadata without altering the original file content.

In the context of NTFS, alternate data streams enable the embedding of extra information in an inconspicuous way, facilitating diverse functionality such as storing descriptive data associated with the main file or enabling compatibility with legacy applications.

The other file systems listed do not have this feature. FAT32, while a widely used file system, does not have the infrastructure to support alternate data streams. HPFS was an early file system developed for OS/2 and does not include this capability either. Linux Ext4, a modern file system used by many Linux distributions, has its own mechanisms for handling metadata and attributes, but it does not support alternate data streams in the way NTFS does. Thus, NTFS 4.0 stands out as the only file system among the options that provides this specific functionality.