1. A file represents a sequence of bytes that can store data even if a program terminates. There are two types of files: text files containing plain text and binary files containing data in binary form (0s and 1s). 2. Common file operations include opening, closing, reading, and writing files. Functions like fopen(), fclose(), fgetc(), fputc(), fread(), and fwrite() are used to perform these operations. 3. Files allow permanent storage of data that can be accessed and transferred between computers. Programs demonstrate how to perform tasks like reading a file, copying file contents, finding the largest number in a file, and appending data to an existing file.