title: Maximum number of files/directories on Linux?
body: <p>I'm developing a LAMP online store, which will allow admins to upload multiple images for each item.</p>
  
  <p>My concern is - right off the bat there will be 20000 items meaning roughly 60000 images.</p>
  
  <p>Questions:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>What is the maximum number of files and/or directories on Linux?</p></li>
  <li><p>What is the usual way of handling this situation (best practice)?</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>My idea was to make a directory for each item, based on its unique ID, but then I'd still have 20000 directories in a main <em>uploads</em> directory, and it will grow indefinitely as old items won't be removed.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks for any help.</p>