# NFS

> NFS (Network File System) shares a directory over the network so several machines or Kubernetes pods can mount the same files.

- Source: https://www.itwonderlab.com/nfs/
- Published: 2026-09-14
- Updated: 2026-09-14
- Author: Javier Ruiz Jiménez (https://www.javierruizjimenez.com/)
- Site: IT Wonder Lab (https://www.itwonderlab.com/)

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**NFS** lets many clients read and write the same directory on a server. In [Kubernetes](https://www.itwonderlab.com/kubernetes/) it is a simple way to provide `ReadWriteMany` persistent volumes. On AWS the managed equivalent is [Amazon EFS](https://www.itwonderlab.com/aws-efs/).

### Key concepts

- **Export**: a directory the server shares, listed in `/etc/exports`.
- **PersistentVolume**: the Kubernetes object that points to the export.
- **Permissions**: user ids must match between client and server.

### Learn it

See [an external NFS Persistent Volume on Kubernetes](https://www.itwonderlab.com/kubernetes-nfs/) and [PostgreSQL with an NFS volume](https://www.itwonderlab.com/postgres-kubernetes-nfs-volume/).