GIO provides a VFS API to GLib applications. It includes a 'local'
implementation using POSIX. gvfs provides implementations that go beyond
that and allow to access files and storage using many protocols, such as
ftp, http, sftp, dav, nfs, etc. It also provides support for trash folders,
for cd burning and for monitoring interesting devices and volumes on the
computer.
Applications use gvfs indirectly, by means of GIO loading the gvfs
module that implements the GIO extension points. The gvfs support for volume
monitoring is included in a separate loadable module.
The actual gvfs implementation is distributed over a number of
processes. None of these are expected to be started from the commandline,
except for debugging purposes.
Main processes:
•gvfsd - the main gvfs daemon
•gvfsd-fuse - mounts gvfs as a fuse
filesystem
•gvfsd-metadata - writes gvfs metadata
Volume monitors:
•gvfs-afc-volume-monitor - a volume monitor for
Apple iPhone/iPod Touch devices
•gvfs-goa-volume-monitor - a volume monitor for
GNOME Online Accounts
•gvfs-gphoto2-volume-monitor - a volume monitor
for PTP devices
•gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor - a volume monitor for
MTP devices
•gvfs-udisks2-volume-monitor - a udisks2-based
volume monitor
Mount backends:
•gvfsd-admin - mounts local filesystem with admin
privileges
•gvfsd-afc - mounts iPhone/iPod touch
volumes
•gvfsd-afp - mounts Apple Filing Protocol
volumes
•gvfsd-afp-browse - browses Apple Filing Protocol
volumes
•gvfsd-archive - mounts archive files in various
formats
•gvfsd-burn - provides a location for burning
CDs
•gvfsd-cdda - mounts audio CDs
•gvfsd-computer - provides computer://
•gvfsd-dav - mounts DAV filesystems
•gvfsd-dnssd - browses dnssd
•gvfsd-ftp - mounts over FTP
•gvfsd-google - mounts Google Drive shares
•gvfsd-gphoto2 - mounts over PTP
•gvfsd-http - mounts over HTTP
•gvfsd-localtest - a test backend
•gvfsd-mtp - mounts over MTP
•gvfsd-network - provides network://
•gvfsd-nfs - mounts over NFS
•gvfsd-recent - provides recent://
•gvfsd-sftp - mounts over sftp
•gvfsd-smb - mounts Windows Shares Filesystem
volumes
•gvfsd-smb-browse - browses Windows Shares
Filesystem volumes
•gvfsd-trash - provides trash://