# File connector

The Tonic Structural file connector allows you to use files as the source data, and to write transformed versions of the files as destination data.

You select files of the [supported types](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/setting-up-your-database/file-connector/file-connector-file-content-types) from either:

* An S3 bucket
* A MinIO object store
* Google Cloud Storage (GCS)
* A local file system
* For self-hosted instances, a file mount

You can also view a [video tutorial](https://youtu.be/Es_VPV9kCxs) that provides an overview of the file connector and how to manage file groups.

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Supported content and file types</strong></td><td>The file connector can transform these types of files and content.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/file-connector-file-content-types">file-connector-file-content-types</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Structural differences and limitations</strong></td><td>Features that are unavailable or work differently for the file connector.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/connectors-file-tonic-differences">connectors-file-tonic-differences</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Configure required cloud storage permissions</strong></td><td>Set up the required permissions for Structural to read from and write to the cloud storage.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/connectors-file-before-workspace">connectors-file-before-workspace</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Configure workspace file storage and output</strong></td><td>Identify where to find the source files and where to write the destination files.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/file-connector-workspace-config">file-connector-workspace-config</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Manage file groups</strong></td><td>Configure the file groups. Each file group is treated as a table.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/file-connector-file-groups">file-connector-file-groups</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Download generated files</strong></td><td>For files from a local file system, download the most recently generated files.</td><td></td><td><a href="file-connector/file-connector-download-generated-files">file-connector-download-generated-files</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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